Of Snakes and Lions
by bookweasel
Summary: A Sevmione fanfic set in OotP until DH. Severus and Hermione's friendship changes their opinions of their roles in the war quite drastically and could potentially change the outcome of the war.
1. Chapter 1

_Sweet baby Voldemort._  
Severus Snape stared in horror at the pink monstrosity stood before him. _This_ was Dumbledore's choice of a Defence Against Dark Arts professor? He forced his occlumency shields back into place and fought to keep his disgust from showing on his face. He couldn't hide his sneer, however, and his colleagues seemed to be having a similar problem. Minerva's expression of deep disdain was amusingly cat-like and Pomona's eyebrows were skyscraper high.

Meanwhile, Albus looked like he was sucking on a lemon- the fruit, not the sherbet variety. Severus shivered as he realised the implications of_ that_ look. Holding back rising vomit, he forced himself to wordlessly perform legimency, smirking slightly at... Dolores' lack of response. Her occlumency barriers were so poor, she was completely unaware of him rifling through her memories.

Umbridge continued to drone on as Severus pondered over what he had seen. So the Ministry had decided to interfere at Hogwarts, had it? How... _expected_, he sneered. How Fudge could be so dense he had no idea but one thing was certain- it he kept ignoring facts, they were fucked.

**HG**

"Hem, hem."  
Hermione Granger's jaw almost scraped the floor. _This woman could not be real_. Around her, students sniggered and tittered. Hermione felt inclined to join them- that cardigan _was_ pretty horrible- but then Umbridge opened her mouth. Hermione's eyes flicked to Dumbledore, who couldn't have looked more interested, and then to the rest of his staff, who weren't even pretending to care what the toad had to say. McGonagall's lips were thinner than Hermione had ever seen them and Snape- Snape was wearing his most terrifying expression, the one that reduced seventh year Hufflepuffs to tears. Hermione felt her lips quirk but forced herself to listen to Umbridge's words.

_Well._ Hermione felt a grimace contort her face even as she clapped, and turned to face her friends slowly.  
"Well, that was _illuminating_."  
Ron offered up a look of absolute horror, expression returning to his glazed eyes.  
"You're _not_ telling me you enjoyed it?"  
"I said illuminating, not enjoyable," Hermione snapped irritably. "It explained a lot."  
Harry stared at her, surprised.  
"Did it? Sounded like a load of waffle to me."  
Hermione pursed her lips.  
"There was some important stuff hidden in the waffle," she said shortly. "Like how the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts."

**SS**  
Severus felt a bubble of laughter rise up at the absolute loathing the Hogwarts students were directing at Umbridge. _Seems like I'm not the most hated Professor here anymore. _His humour faded abruptly, though, as the toad happened her mouth. _Oh, fuck._

He swept his gaze across the hall, unsurprised to see that most of the students were chatting amongst themselves. Only three students were listening- Pansy Parkinson and Ernie Macmillan, though their glazed expressions hinted that the sinister message in the toad's words was passing over their heads, and -_of course_- Granger.

Once again, Hermione Granger was proving she truly was the brightest witch of her age, for she was frowning at Umbridge with immense hatred and disgust, her eyes narrowed in understanding. Thank Merlin, Potter had at least _one_ intelligent ally.

He watched carefully as Granger turned towards the boy in question and began hissing angry words to him and Weasley. The boys looked vaguely horrified one moment at something she'd said, and then… dawning comprehension. Potter's expression grew serious and he stared up at the high table, glancing at Dumbledore and Umbridge. Smart girl, she'd told him what the Headmaster wouldn't. Information that'd get him through the year.

**HG**

"The Daily Prophet says Potter-"  
Lavender Brown stared in horror and shut up abruptly as said boy's best friend strode into the girls' dorm, magic crackling like static electricity in the air around her. Hermione threw herself onto her bed and flung the blonde a glare.  
"Keep your fat mouth shut, Lavender, unless you want bitch hexed permanently across your face," she snarled, drawing her wand dangerously and directing it towards the girl's heavily made up face.

Parvati glanced up, startled, at Hermione's words, having been paying no attention at all to her best friend's rant about Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore's lies. She watched on in amusement as Lavender blanched and stuttered a false apology, before returning to _Teen Witch_ magazine. It was far better than contemplating whether You-Know-Who really _had_ returned.

Hermione, meanwhile, stalked into the en suite bathroom with a change of clothes.

"I'm getting a shower."

She needed to reflect on the day's events. It had been one helluva first day back to school

**SS**  
Severus had barely reached his quarters when his arm began to burn. He glared at his black tattoo, wishing to Merlin that he could tell his Lordship where to shove his Death Eater meetings.  
_What a bloody perfect ending to a bloody awful day._


	2. Chapter 2

**_Due to some comments regarding language in this chapter, I have edited it and this is the (marginally) cleaner version. My apologies for overstepping the line- I hope no one was offended. I talk like a sailor and it tends to leak into my writing, though it shouldn't and I'll be making a conscious effort to prevent it. As my readers, I'll expect you lot to make sure I do! Seriously (or should that be Siriusly :P) though, please tell me if you think the language is too strong, if it offends you, or if you think the rating of this story should be M instead of T.  
Thanks x_**

It was with great reluctance- not to mention a steam of expletives- that Severus dragged his sorry arse into his bathroom the next morning to get ready for the long school day ahead.  
"_Flamin' hell!_"  
He'd forgotten about the broken ankle. Cursing his momentary lapse of memory, Severus hauled himself up before his full-length mirror to inspect the extent of the injuries he'd acquired last night (or was it this morning?). He nearly threw up at the sight.

Long gashes ran down his side and back; at some places the flesh had flopped down like a curtain, releasing a torrent of blood and exposing scarlet muscle and- _sweet baby Voldemort, was that?-_bone. Severus grimaced in pain, casting a quick 'accio' for some dittany. He poured some of the steaming remedy onto his flesh, biting his tongue to prevent a bloodcurdling scream of pain escaping, and was finally able to admire his latest scar. He supposed it was marginally better than the 'snivellus' carved into his thigh by an extremely pissed Sirius Black in their seventh year. Severus smiled humourlessly. Given how the majority of his thin body was covered by marbled scar tissue, Greyback's effort last night was comparatively poor.

Sighing, he cast a quick 'episkey' in the direction of his ankle. How was it fair that he was expected to put up with a PMS-y Dark Lord by night and PMS-y, hormonal brats by day? Oh, wait. It wasn't fair. He shook his head angrily. God help Potter if he looked at his timetable and saw the Slytherin/ Gryffindor fifth year class at any point today...

HGHGHGHGHGHGHG

Hermione dragged herself down to the common room in a foul mood the next morning. She was ready to wring Lavender's neck, and the sight of a glum Harry and Ron did nothing to lift her spirits.  
"What's the matter?" she asked exasperatedly. "You look like absolute shite."  
Ron gave her a look as Harry descended into sullen silence.  
"That prat Seamus," he supplied helpfully. "He reckons Harry's lying 'bout You-Know-Who."  
Hermione sighed.  
"Yes, Lavender thinks so too."  
Harry finally responded, his emerald eyes flashing.  
"Been having a nice chat about me, have you? Going on about what a lying, attention-seeking brat I am?" he snarled.  
Hermione glared.  
"No," she answered, her voice carefully controlled. "Actually, I told the slut to keep her fucking gob shut. And you can quit having a go at us, Harry, 'cause Ron and I aren't the ones spreading shit about you."  
There was a very long pause until:  
"Sorry."  
Is that it?  
"That's quite alright, Harry."

The Gryffindors made their way down to the Great Hall, still chatting. Hermione quickly grew frustrated with her friends' childish attitudes to her pointed, "We've already started fighting amongst ourselves!". Ron, ever the adoring puppy-dog friend, scoffed.  
"Harry's right. If you think we're gonna get matey with the snakes then you can sod off."  
Hermione clicked her tongue irately.  
"I think it's a pity we're not trying for a bit of inter-house unity," she snapped. "The Slytherins are human too, you know."

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Settle down."  
The instruction was wasted in Severus' classes. Silence fell the minute he entered the classroom.  
"Before we begin today's lesson," he said, sweeping over to his desk with his black robes swishing about him, "I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an 'acceptable' in your OWL, or suffer my... Displeasure."

In the silence following such an ominous statement, Severus allowed his gaze to sweep across the classroom, lingering deliberately on Longbottom, Weasley...Potter.  
And then, just as he paused to glare at the trembling, white face of Longbottom for the second time, a quiet but nonetheless distinct voice rang out across the classroom, the words muttered under the culprit's breath but not hushed enough to escape his notice:  
"For heaven's sake, _quit the melodramatics_."  
Severus' breathing stopped for a moment as he stared at the pale face of the guilty party. All of his weight was leaning on his newly healed ankle and it was because of this he placed extra venom in his next, carefully enunciated words.  
"One hundred points from Gryffindor. I expect to see you outside my office at seven sharp to serve the first of your fortnight's worth of detentions, Miss Granger."

**_*This chapter has been edited on the advice of a reviewer- I credit ExAmoreDolorem with the more plausible idea of Hermione muttering her comment under her breath and being overheard. Thanks for your help!*  
_****Ta daaa! What do you think? I was really pleased at the initial response and thanks to mckoy12345678910 for reviewing. Please let me know, good or bad, because otherwise I won't improve! Thanks x**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry this is late, I was busy with school but I've now FINISHED (yay!) so I should be able to update more frequently. I've tried to keep the swearing down here, as the reviews said, and would like to respond to a subject raised in a review. Is Hermione OOC? Well, i suppose she is, swearing and all, but I'd like to point out that JK Rowling's books are aimed at kids. There isn't any swearing really but these are teenage kids under a lot of pressure so I think they would. Just my interpretation. You're welcome to your own opinions. Secondly, about Hermione's actions last chapter. Yes, its OOC but bearing in mind people often just blurt out what they're thinking, I don't think it's too hard to imagine a teenager sat in class, mocking their teacher and then realising, oops, I said that aloud . **

Severus continued the lesson, Granger's words not far from his mind. _Melodramatics_? She had no idea. He cast his eyes over the girl, her bushy-haired head bent over her cauldron as she followed the instructions for today's potion meticulously and without deviation. Pupils like her were few and far between and it was a constant source of irritation for Severus to see _the brightest witch of her age_ waste her intelligence by _not thinking. _Every homework task was a painstakingly perfect copy of others' work and it frustrated him no end. He would hand back her work, never awarded an O, and watch her dark eyes flash from her mutilated work to him and back to his red ink scrawled comments, then narrow. She considered copying from the textbook, albeit more diligently than her classmates, worth an Outstanding. Severus did not.

Hermione glanced up at her professor as he stood to the side of her desk, scrutinising Harry's potion, his lip curling. She still couldn't believe what had slipped out of her mouth. _Oh, sweet Merlin, I insulted a teacher!  
_"A light silver vapour should now be rising from your potion," Severus called, sweeping past Hermione's cauldron without a word (_'Nothing to insult- ha!' she thought, sneering) _to stand directly behind Harry, smirking.  
"Potter, what is this supposed to be?"  
His lips curled up slightly at the grey steam puffing out of _the Chosen One_'s "Draught of Peace" (_'and Merlin knows we need peace,' he quipped mentally, musing whimsically about the pros and cons of slipping his two masters some to soothe their "agitation"). _The Slytherins at the front of the class began to smirk in preparation of the certain drama to come.  
"The Draught of Peace," Potter said, flushing slightly.  
Snape almost smiled, his eyes flicking from The Boy Who Lived To Irritate's steamed-up glasses to the board at the front of the classroom.  
"Tell me, Potter, can you read?"  
Draco Malfoy released a barking laugh, not even bothering to disguise it as a cough. Potter curled his fingers around his wand and, beside him, his two friends nearly bashed their heads on the table. _For goodness sake, Harry. _

Severus didn't miss the exasperated look Granger and Weasley exchanged, and was amused to see Granger's obvious irritation at her friend's temper.  
"Read the third line of instructions for me, Potter."  
He watched Granger out of the corner of his eye as the brat squinted at the board through his fogged-up spectacles. Hermione glanced at the board and at Harry's cauldron. _Shit, he hasn't added the hellebore. _She winced as Snape proceeded to vanish the ruined potion and award it a zero, completely unbothered. _Git. _She didn't realise, as she bolted out of the classroom after Harry, that her teacher was watching her carefully, pleased to see her actually using her brains to figure out what was wrong with Potter's potion. _Maybe there's hope for you yet, Granger.  
_

HGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS

Hermione took her seat in the Great Hall for lunch, helping herself to some shepherd's pie before turning to Harry.  
"That was really unfair. Your potion wasn't nearly as bad as Goyle's, when he put it in his flagon the whole thing shattered and set his robes on fire."  
She smiled slightly at the thought but Harry remained unamused, glowering at his plate sulkily.  
"Yeah, well, since when has Snape ever been fair to me?"  
Hermione and Ron stayed silent, unable to rise to their professor's defence or offer an explanation. Harry was right, it was bloody unfair.

There was a great surge of noise as Seamus strode into the hall, surrounded by other Gryffindors and seemingly in the midst of a great story.  
"And then, Granger goes '_For heaven's sake, quit the melodramatics'_," he said, squeaking in an unnaturally high pitch for Hermione's part. His listeners exploded into riotous laughter. Seamus burst into a vacant seat, catching Hermione's eye with a cheeky grin. For a moment, he and Harry's fall out was forgotten.  
"That was bloody awesome, Hermione, that was."  
She felt her lips curl up into a smirk as the other Gryffindors filed past her, many clapping her on the back. The news spread further down the table, until one of the Weasley twins burst into guffaws and shouted up to her, "We'll make a bad-ass out of you yet, Hermione!"  
Seamus caught her eye and winked.  
"You can thank me la- ahem, so anyone do anything interesting over the holidays?"  
He was studiously avoiding Harry's eyes, as well as those of the black-robed figure that had just stormed into the hall. Hermione sighed, shook her head at him, and turned back to Harry. Their moment of unity was gone.

"I did think he might be a bit better this year," she sighed, brown eyes following Snape up to the teachers' table at the front of the hall. "I mean... you know..." she glanced around conspicuously..."now he's in the Order and everything."  
Ron snorted.  
"Poisonous toadstools don't change their spots," he said sagely, nodding importantly as she rolled her eyes at his pretentiousness. "Anyway, I always thought Dumbledore was cracked to trust Snape. Where's the evidence he ever really stopped working for You-Know-Who?"  
Hermione groaned internally. _As if we haven't had __**this**__ discussion before_. She flashed him a pointed glare.  
"I think Dumbledore's probably got plenty of evidence, even if he doesn't share it with you, Ron," she snapped, _which is really surprising, you know, given how he regularly confides in you. Not.  
_

Insulted, Ron opened his mouth for a quick retort, but Harry interrupted him before he could form the first syllable.  
"Oh, _shut up_, the pair of you."  
His two friends froze, offended looks on both of their faces, as Harry swung his bag over his shoulder and rose from the table.  
"Can't you give it a rest? You're always having a go at each other, it's driving me mad."  
He stalked off, leaving Hermione and Ron mildly ashamed and immensely annoyed.  
"Who does he think he is, telling _us_ off when he's constantly being a grumpy sod and we haven't called _him _up on it!" Ron snarled, pushing away his empty plate.  
Hermione shrugged angrily, now royally pissed off.  
"I have no idea. It'd just be nice if he stopped taking his bloody temper out on us for a change!"

From the teachers' table at the front of the hall, Severus watched as the second member of the Golden Trio stormed off, leaving gormless Weasley in her wake. _Merlin help us if we're relying on these three to save the day. They can't even sort out their own petty rows, never mind a war! _He cast a disparaging look in Albus' direction and shook his head.

**Hope you enjoyed it, please let me know either way by reviewing- otherwise I won't know and I can't improve.**

**bookweasel **


	4. Chapter 4

**I've edited all three previous chapters, removing typos etc. Nothing drastic enough that you'd need to re-read them. However, I've slightly changed the ending of Chapter 2 so Hermione mutters her comment to Snape under her breath and is overheard. It's more plausible and full credit goes to ExAmoreDolorem for the idea. Thanks for your help!  
As I said, nothing drastic, and the story continues to make sense with this alteration.**

Umbridge was already seated at her desk when Hermione and her class arrived for their lesson, dressed in her hideous cardigan with the added accessory of a black velvet bow on her head. The class was silent, aside from muffled giggles at their teacher's attire. The toad was new and no one seemed to know how to act around her. Was another McGonagall? Flitwick? Trelawney? Heaven forbid another _Snape_.  
"Well, good afternoon!" she trilled, once the scraping of chairs and desks had finished and everyone was seated.  
A class of sullen teenagers stared back, silent for the most part, though some mumbled a response. Umbridge frowned slightly.  
"Now that won't do, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge'. One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!"  
It was patronisingly primary school treatment, though only the muggle-borns would recognise it as such. The magically-brought-up teens just raised eyebrows. The class as a whole, though, responded with a reluctant, "Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge."  
The foul woman smiled sweetly.  
"There now, that wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please."  
_What?_ Hermione felt a rising sense of trepidation as she followed the order, hoping to Merlin that her suspicions were incorrect. She was gloomily certain they were not.

Their new professor finished writing on the board and turned to the class.  
"Well, now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?"  
_No shit, Sherlock_, Hermione grumbled mentally, in a mood already because of her upcoming detention and worry about Harry. She scrawled down Umbridge's lesson aims, unable to care about the state of her unusually tidy notes.

At Umbridge's instruction, she took out her textbook and began to read, her ire growing with every page turn. She'd already read Wilbert Slinkhard's book and condemned it as a gross waste of paper. Slinkhard talked utter shit. Unable to prevent herself, she raised an arm pointedly, unsurprised when the pink-clad cow ignored her. The whole class' eyes were on her, seeking refuge from the undeniable tedium of their set text.

Finally, Umbridge could ignore her no longer.  
"Did you want to ask something about the chapter, dear?"  
_Don't 'dear' me, you vile woman._  
"Not about the chapter, no," Hermione responded carefully. _Try the whole bloody book.  
_Umbridge bared her small, pointy teeth in a grotesque parody of a smile.  
"Well, we're reading just now. If you have other queries we can deal with them at the end of class."  
"I've got a query about your course aims," Hermione interjected, also smiling falsely.  
Umbridge arched her brows. "And your name is?"  
_Ha. _The Ministry witch knew her name. Of course she did: she'd been sent to keep an eye on Dumbledore and Harry. Hermione was Harry Potter's best friend. Umbridge knew _exactly_ who she was talking to- the brains of the Golden Trio and the Boy Who Lived's sidekick.  
"Hermione Granger," Hermione said. _And you __**are**__ going to listen to me._  
"Well, Miss Granger, I think the course aims are perfectly clear if you read them through carefully."  
Umbridge's tone reeked forced sweetness. Hermione felt a surge of dark glee as she continued.  
"Well, I don't. There's nothing written up there about _using_ defensive spells."  
Confronting two teachers in day, she reflected, was strangely fun. Every member of the class was paying heed to nerdy muggle-born Hermione Granger. It was liberating.

"_Using_ defensive spells? I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?"  
Umbridge tittered. She was attempting to close the topic but Ron burst that notion easily.  
"We're not going to use magic?"  
Disbelief coloured his tone.  
"Students will raise their hands when the wish to speak in my class, Mr-"  
"Weasley." Ron thrust his hand in the air. Umbridge ignored him, but turned to face two more raised hands.  
"Yes, Miss Granger? You wanted to ask something else?"  
"Yes," Hermione snapped. "Surely the whole point of Defence Against the Dark Arts is to practice defensive spells?"  
"Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert, Miss Granger?"  
"Well, _no_, but-"  
"Well then, I'm afraid you are not qualified to decide what the whole point of any class is..."

Far from deterring students, Umbridge had unknowingly started a riot. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dean, Parvati... Everyone had a question. _And as well they might, _Hermione thought-scowled, _given how ludicrous these aims are._  
"So we're not supposed to be prepared for what's waiting for us out there?"  
_Shit_. Hermione cursed herself. She should've foreseen this.  
"There is nothing waiting out there, Mr Potter."  
"Oh, yeah?" _Shut __**up**__, Harry!_ Hermione willed, aware that his temper, like her's had reached its boiling point.  
"Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?" _Shut up, you __**stupid**__ cow!  
_"Hmm, let's think..." said Harry in a mock- thoughtful voice- _don't you __**dare**__, Harry- _"Maybe...**_Lord Voldemort_**_?"_

**SSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHG**

Severus waited, his feet on his desk in a surprisingly casual pose, for Granger to arrive for her detention. On reflection, her actions in class earlier had been vaguely amusing- no one had dared insult him to his face for years- albeit nauseatingly _Gryffindor-ish_. He smiled nastily, relishing the memory of Minerva's face when he'd told her what her favourite cub had said. Oh, he was sure Granger hadn't _meant_ to say what she had. It was obvious from her 'oh, shit,' expression directly afterwards. Still. He'd finally been able to give the irritating girl a detention. Score!

There came a loud knock at his office door, obnoxiousness just ringing out from the action. Severus' lip curled. _Granger.  
_"Enter."  
His clipped voice reached a fuming Hermione outside and she followed his instruction mutely. Snape sat at his desk, staring at her with fathomless black eyes. His expression did not change at her appearance.  
"Miss Granger. Any reason why you saw fit to try and break down my door?"  
Hermione's face scrunched up angrily, flushing red, and she exclaimed, "I _didn't!_" before she'd even thought about it. Snape smirked.  
"You need to learn to control your emotions better, girl."  
She glared at the floor sullenly. "Yes, sir."  
Severus frowned, disappointed. What on earth was up with the girl? Normally she had a relatively calm (for a Gryffindor) temperament. This sulky anger was more Potter's style.  
"What lesson did you just have, Miss Granger?" he asked before he could stop himself, already sure of the answer. Granger confirmed it with a curling of her lip, marring her confused expression. The vocalisation was entirely unnecessary.  
"Defence Against Dark Arts, professor."

Snape smirked at the girl's tone. Even the top swot didn't respect Umbridge. That much was obvious. Suddenly interested, he leant towards her, unsurprised at her recoil. Somewhere, though, deep down, that actually hurt. Still, he ignored the twinge of pain and met her eyes, careful to conceal his burning curiosity.  
"And your opinion, of Um-Professor Umbridge?"  
She glanced at him, her gaze suddenly mischievous, and flashed him an amused smile.  
"I suppose it's hard to beat Professor Lockhart, sir, but Professor Umbridge certainly has a good try."  
_In short, Umbridge is a joke. _Severus felt a bubble of laughter form but swallowed it with a smirk. Who knew Granger had a sense of humour?

Smiling in bemusement, Hermione watched Snape as his eyes lit up in amusement. _So, the staff don't respect her either_. She didn't understand why he was doing this- talking to her, rather than chewing her out over her remarks in class. Still, she'd take this over sorting out rat brains and other lovely potions ingredients any day.  
"And her lessons? For, you understand, purely academic purposes. When someone like Professor Umbridge is a colleague, you would be a fool not to follow her example, so great is her expertise."  
Hermione smothered a laugh. _Overdoing it a bit, sir? _  
"Mainly textbook based, as I'm sure you'll appreciate, sir. There's no foolish wand waving in Professor Umbridge's classroom either, sir." Scarcely believing her own daringness, Hermione added, "With such common interests I can imagine you would be great friends, sir."

Severus choked, catching the devilish expression in Hermione's eyes. _Was this banter?_  
"Don't overdo it, Granger," he reprimanded her, not bothering to insert the appropriate severity into his voice. God knows he'd needed a laugh. And given Granger's previous mood, so had she.  
"Yes, sir," she said pertly, smiling. She didn't bother looking abashed either.  
There was an awkward pause as they regained their composure. Snape glanced up at Hermione, pondering.  
"Miss Granger, you shall be brewing potions for the duration of your two weeks of detention."  
She stared at him, her brown eyes wide with shock. No one _ever_ got to brew for their detentions. Snape always saved the gross ingredient preparation for them, or had them meticulously clean cauldrons without magic. This was... new. Severus caught her look and explained, surprisingly.  
"Miss Granger, I see no point in wasting what intelligence you have on mundane tasks such as preparation or cleaning."  
_Was that almost a compliment?_  
"The potions are for the Hospital Wing. There is a list on my desk. Begin."

The next three hours were surprisingly fun. Hermione found she quite enjoyed making potions without the stress of it being graded or, more importantly, watching the people around her (Neville) so they didn't make any too drastic mistakes. Some would consider it kindness. She considered it self- preservation. No doubt Snape would be amused by her Slytherin-esque motives. _He_ stayed at his desk, bizarrely casual. It was as though their shared joke had made him more relaxed in her presence. First, his feet went on his desk. Second, a copy of Potions for You came out. _Professor Snape is slouching with his feet on the table reading a magazine_, Hermione thought delightedy, biting her lip to halt her giggle as she stirred her current potion.

Finally, Severus glanced up at the clock in his office. Ten thirty. He watched Granger a moment, lost in her own little world as she happily brewed away.  
"Miss Granger, you may leave."  
Granger jumped.  
"Oh!"  
She smiled sheepishly and shrugged.  
"I'll just finish this potion, shall I sir?"  
Severus shook his head, rising from his seat.  
"There's no need. I'll do it. You will continue tomorrow, 7 pm."  
Granger looked mildly disappointed, making her way to the door. As her hand rested on the door handle, she turned, flashing him another smile without thought.  
"Alright, sir. Thank you- for letting me brew... it's been...good. Um, goodnight."  
She darted out, leaving Severus staring in her wake, mulling over the nights revelations. One, he needed to see Dumbledore- Umbridge wasn't teaching the little brats anything from the sounds of it. Two, he had shared a joke and let his guard down slightly with Miss Granger. Three, Hermione Granger had the loveliest smile he had ever seen.

**HGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS**

Hermione nearly skipped back to the Gryffindor Common room last night, her mood massively improved, avoiding the prefects on patrol as she smiled gleefully to herself. _Turns out Snape __**is **__human after all!_ She found herself smirking as she thought of his upcurled lips as they exchanged their bizarre tokens of humour, united in their dislike of Umbridge. She found she was quite looking forward to her future detentions.

She strode into the Gryffindor Common room to rapturous applause. She was the new top Gryffindor, having cheeked Snape and Umbridge in one day.  
"How was your detention with the greasy git, 'Mione?" Ron called from beside the fire.  
She deliberated over telling her friends the truth about Snape but dropped the idea almost immediately. As if they'd believe her. Besides, she quite liked having this little secret of her own. She flopped into a chair beside him.  
"Alright. How about you, done any homework?"  
Ron and Harry scoffed.  
"Nah, we were waiting for you." _So you could scrounge answers off me._  
"Oh. Well, shall we get Professor Snape's essay out of the way?" Hermione suggested.  
The two boys shrugged, writing and underlining the title as Hermione gazed with narrowed eyes into the far corner of the room.  
"So, what are the properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making?" Ron asked, looking up at her expectantly.

Hermione wasn't listening, too busy watching his brothers and their friend Lee. They were passing sweets round the first years, Fred offering them out of a paper bag. _Back down to earth with a thud, eh, Hermione?_  
"No, I'm sorry, they've gone too far." She snapped, standing up. "Come on, Ron."  
Unsurprisingly, Ron didn't move. Hermione sighed, disappointed, and stalked over to the three older boys.  
"That's enough!"  
Fred and George looked up at her thoughtfully, George nodding.  
"Yeah, you're right. This dosage looks strong enough, doesn't it?"  
Hermione growled. The boys paled slightly.  
"I told you this morning- you can't test on students!"  
"We're paying 'em!" Fred protested feebly. Hermione scowled, crossing her arms and stomping her foot.  
"I don't care, it could be dangerous."  
The twins brushed off her concerns as the first-years began to come round. Evidently they hadn't been aware that the sweets were Fainting Fancies. As the twins began to check the kids were alright, Hermione snatched away their sweets and clipboard.  
"Oi! They're alive aren't they?" snapped Fred.  
Hermione glared. "If you don't stop this, Fred, George, _Lee_-" the boy had begun creeping away "-I'll-"  
"What? Put us in detention?" Fred sneered.  
"Make us write lines?" sniggered George.  
Hermione smiled nastily at a fresh bolt of inspiration hit her, pouring her irritation with Umbridge, Ron, Harry and the whole damn world into her next words as onlookers began to laugh.  
"No, but I _will_ write to your mother."

**Severus/ Hermione banter! Yay!**

**Please review and let me know what you think,**

**bookweasel x**


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione was actually disappointed to not see Potions on her timetable the next day. She felt her relationship with her professor had leapt up to another level. _Not, _she thought,_ that he'll ever publically acknowledge it_. She didn't mind. It was good enough knowing that she'd made the snarky Severus Snape laugh.  
"What're you looking so pleased about?"  
Hermione started. Ron and Harry were throwing her curious glances. _So it's a crime to be happy now, is it?  
_"Oh, nothing," she lied, smiling at them. "The hats are gone. Seems the house-elves do want freedom after all."

In truth, the haphazard garments she had knitted for her latest cause were far from her mind. Yes, she had been delighted to see them gone and know more house-elves were free, but she had a new purpose now: make Snape laugh again.

Still, when Ron made a disparaging comment regarding the quality of her handmade hats, she refused to speak to him on principle, ignoring him all morning. After all, one expected better from their friends.

**SSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS**

Severus was nearly rolling on the floor in the laughter. Minerva had just told him, in a hushed tone so the toad couldn't overhear, of her fifth years' DADA lesson yesterday. It appeared the Gryffs had completely fucked up what semblance of control Umbridge had. He felt a reluctant surge of respect for their action, though he sneered at how brazenly Gryffindor they had gone about it.  
"Shush, Severus!" Minerva hissed, "Before _she_ overhears! Anyway, I don't know why you're laughing- your Slytherins just sat back and watched!"  
"And avoided trouble, Minerva," Severus said pointedly, though he was just as concerned as her. It appeared his snakes were backing the cow all the way, damn them. He regained his composure, reminded briefly of the laughter he had shared with Granger the previous night. No wonder she'd been all riled up when she arrived.

"So, who was it?" he asked, curiously.  
Minerva rolled her eyes. "_Guess_."  
Severus smirked. "Potter."  
"Naturally," she huffed. "There's more, though, Severus."  
"Potter's sidekick."  
"Which one?"  
"Weasley." _Obviously, it's not going to be Granger, is it?_  
"Wrong!" Minerva trilled. "_Both of them_."  
"Weasley _and _Granger?" Severus mused. "Merlin, she was on a roll yesterday, wasn't she?"  
Minerva groaned. "It's not funny, Severus. Potter told her You-Know-Who is back and that he killed Diggory. She sent him to my office."  
"Is that _all_?"  
She narrowed her eyes and glared at her companion. "It's enough."  
Severus shrugged. "The boy's an idiot. Weasley's an idiot. Granger... I'm surprised. Potter should just be grateful she didn't expel him."  
"She's building up to expulsion, Severus," Minerva grimaced. "Besides, shouldn't you be worried?"  
He stared at her, incredulously. _There's only a bloody war on. __**Everyone**__'s worried._  
"About anything in particular?" he queried, sarcastically. "The weather, perhaps?"  
"Don't play stupid, Severus," Minerva snapped, whispering, "Won't you have to tell _him_ all of this?"

_Ah, yes. That. _Severus hadn't even considered it but the toad would undoubtedly have reported this to the Ministry. The Dark Lord would know and Severus would be punished for it. As if he could stop Potter shooting his bloody mouth off!  
"Yes," he conceded, not showing any emotion. "It won't be fun."  
"No," Minerva sighed, offering him a sympathetic look. "I should imagine not."

**SSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS**

Despite her own friendship woes, Hermione was relieved to see that some people still had faith in Harry. Though she severely doubted that Luna Lovegood was all there, Ernie Macmillan was sane enough and sensible. It did Harry good to see he had some support.

She set off for her detention with Snape in relatively high spirits. Harry's detention with Umbridge was scheduled for the same time so they left Ron in the Great Hall and walked together part of the way. Due to their slowed pace and chatter, she was a minute late for her detention, something Snape commented upon straight away.  
"Miss Granger. Thank you for gracing me with your presence. _At last_."  
She took one look at his sneer and swallowed hard. Snape was in a baad mood.  
"Sorry, sir."

"Did you say that to Umbridge?"  
The retort slipped from Severus' lips before he could stop it. As expected, the girl froze.  
"I'm s-s-orry?" she stammered.  
Severus leant forward, black eyes glittering.  
"I said, did you apologise to Professor Umbridge when you disrupted her class yesterday?"  
Granger gaped, her jaw dropping to expose her protruding misaligned teeth.  
"How do you know about that?"  
Snape barked a laugh, and Hermione cringed. She had wanted to make him laugh aqain, but not like _that_.  
"We teachers do _talk_, Miss Granger," he said, relatively kindly for _him_. "Minerva was most upset to learn of her favourite pupil's misdemeanours."  
Hermione flushed, much to Severus' amusement. _Gryffindors. Always wearing every emotion on their face_.

He leant towards Granger again, careful to avoid intimidating her.  
"Miss Granger."  
Her eyes flicked up cautiously.  
"You were right."  
Her pretty face scrunched up in confusion.  
"Excuse me?"  
"You were absolutely right, Miss Granger, in what you said."  
"I-I was?"

Hermione was stunned. Snape was agreeing with her?  
"However-"  
Of course. Of course there was a 'however'. She resigned herself to a severe telling off and was surprised by what came out of Snape's mouth.  
"-you were wrong to tell Umbridge to her face."  
Huh?  
"Excuse me, sir. I don't understand."

Severus gazed at the delicate, confused face of his pupil and mentally kicked himself for getting into this situation. She needed to know, though.  
"I know you are a Gryffindor, Miss Granger, but such brazen defiance was uncharacteristically foolish. The Ministry is falling over itself trying to discredit the Headmaster and Potter, and you, Potter and Weasley are making it easy for them. You need to stop drawing attention to yourselves."  
"And what about our education?" Granger snapped, brown eyes blazing.  
Severus paused, tracing his thin lips with his finger and wondering what to tell her. She was right, of course. The toad was depriving the students of skills which could tip the scales in a life or death situation.  
"Miss Granger, you brewed the Polyjuice potion unaided in your second year and taught Potter spells which saved his life during the Triwizard Tournament last year. Use some common sense. Education doesn't have to come from the allocated teacher in school, nor does it have to come directly within the school rules."  
She blushed, shamed by the memory of her failure. Severus nearly groaned aloud. For a Slytherin, that was spectacularly unsubtle and she still didn't get it. _Bloody literal- minded Gryffindors._ He sighed.  
"Get to work, Miss Granger."  
"Huh?"  
"Your potions, Granger."

He watched her work, dismally aware that he had told her too much and let her get away with far more attitude that any other student. One shared joke and Granger had managed to break away from the other students' treatment and into her own category. Severus didn't like to think of it as _favouritism_.

Hermione felt strangely let down by her professor. Part of her had wanted to demand he take action about the Umbridge Issue. She knew he was right, though, about her friends and her not drawing attention to themselves. He had even been... kind when telling her so. She just wished he would tell her outright what to do. _Bloody Slytherin subtlety._

As well as being disappointed in Snape, Hermione was disappointed in herself. She was upset at having let down her Head of House in Defence yesterday but the look on Snape's face had been hard to accept as well. She knew his standard were high, and, despite that, still tried to prove herself to him, but she knew that she had fallen short of the mark in her outburst the previous day. No doubt he thought she had been nauseatingly Gryffindor-ish.

Despite her and Snape's frank conversation- a far cry from their talk the night before, which had been more Slytherin, _alluding_ rather than stating- Hermione had made no move to tell her friends. She should, she knew, yet, from their shifty conversation at the breakfast table about what each of them had done the previous night she knew she was far from the only one keeping secrets at that time.

**_Please review!_**

**_bookweasel_**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for your lovely comments, I couldn't stop smiling! :D**

Three detentions passed, each pleasant enough. Hermione continued brewing potions for the Hospital Wing. Occasionally, Snape spoke to her, asking her about her classes, telling her points of interest about the potion she was brewing at that time. He even made jokes a couple of times, usually about the shambolic state of the Ministry and the utter stupidity of her friends, but _still_. By silent mutual consent Umbridge was never mentioned.

And so it continued- Snape treated her "normally" in class (i.e. like an imbecilic irritant) and like an intelligent human being in detention. It was bizarre, and neither of them ever acknowledged it- Hermione for fear of this special treatment stopping- but she hoped her dour Potions Professor was enjoying her company as much as she was enjoying his. Perhaps it was better for her not to know that Severus was treating her differently because he pitied her: a young muggleborn brought into a world where she was neither wanted nor liked, who constantly tried to prove her intelligence to gain respect, in doing so making herself even more isolated as her classmates sneered at her eagerness. Indeed, it was better for Hermione to be unaware of his reasons.

**SSHGSSHGSSHG**

The Gryffindor was dosing in an armchair in the common room after a particularly exhausting fifth detention when Harry joined her, Butterbeer in hand. She started.  
"Oh, Harry, it's you... good about Ron, isn't it?"  
Their friend had won the position of Gryffindor Keeper on the house Quidditch team. His big secret had now been unravelled, exposing hours of practise on the Quidditch pitch in the time leading up to tryouts.

Harry smiled weakly, his pale, square-jawed face tense. Hermione frowned.  
"What's up?" she asked, concerned.  
It didn't take much for Harry to blurt out the story.  
"Listen, Hermione, I was just in Umbridge's office- you know, for detention-" she nodded "-and she touched my arm and... my scar _really hurt_, 'Mione. Like when Quirrell touched me."  
Hermione listened closely, knowing exactly what he was alluding to but reluctant to believe it.  
"You're worried You-Know-Who's controlling her like he did Quirrell?" she checked, slowly.  
"Well, it's a possibility, isn't it?" Harry responded, lowering his voice.  
"I suppose so," she replied, unconvinced. "But I don't think he's possessing her- no, listen, Harry!" Her friend showed every sign of interrupting. "He's got a body now, why would he want _hers_? I guess she could be under the Imperious Curse..."

The pair of them watched the Weasley twins and Lee in the far corner of the common room for a moment. They were juggling empty Butterbeer bottles, a crowd gathered eagerly around them.  
"Last year," Hermione mused, "Your scar hurt even when nobody was touching you and Dumbledore said it was something to do with how You-Know-Who was feeling. Maybe it was just coincidence your scar hurt when the hag touched you?"  
"She's evil," Harry pushed, his voice flat. "Twisted."  
"She's horrible, yes," Hermione appeased. "But, Harry, I think you need to tell Dumbledore about your scar."  
Harry's jaw tautened.  
"I'm not bothering him with this- like you said, it's no big deal."  
"That's not what I said at all! It's a concern if your scar's hurting again- one Dumbledore will want to know about!" Hermione protested, but Harry cut her off.  
"Yeah, that's the only bit of me Dumbledore cares about, isn't it, my scar?"  
"That's not true, and you know it, Harry. Be fair."  
_Why do we always have to fight?_  
"I think I'll write to Sirius, tell him, see if he cares-"  
"I _do_ care, Harry, and so does Dumbledore! But you can't write to Sirius. Didn't you listen to a word Mad-Eye said this summer? The letter might be intercepted!" Hermione hissed, alarmed.  
Harry sprung to his feet angrily.  
"Alright, alright! I _won't _tell Sirius, then!" he snapped. "I'm going to bed."  
He stormed off, leaving Hermione once again staring at his retreating figure.

**SSHGSSHGSSHG**

Severus was sprawled out on the cold marble floor of his en suite, his chin atop a mound of solidified sick and blood. He could feel his skin prickling under the close scrutiny of the daylight peeking through a chink in his curtains. _Pervert._ The light was painfully bright.

It was the bitter temperature, though, that made him move, eventually. His skin was goose-pimpled, and numb, his pants sodden with cold urine from when he had apparently pissed himself. When he stood, he found himself off balance and unsteady on his feet. _Unsurprising, really._ He glugged back a Hangover Relief potion, uncomfortably aware of his growing tolerance to it. Soon it wouldn't work at all. He scourgified his vomit, trying to recall how much he had actually drunk. He couldn't recall a number- the night became a blank spot in his memory some time after the fifth Firewhiskey. It was a shame he could still remember his meeting with the Dark Lord, he reflected.

His Majesty had been in a good mood, or as close to one as the snake-faced bastard could get. He certainly hadn't heard of Potter's outbreak in Defence yet, either Umbridge had been delayed in sending off _that _gem to the Ministry or his Ministry spy hadn't uncovered it yet, but when he _did _find out... Severus shuddered.

Perhaps Voldemort had caught some TGIF fever, for last night he had organised a _party_ for his faithful servants. Unfortunately, with the Dark Lord, you couldn't just decline your invitation. No, Severus had been forced to join in with the night's _festivities_, something that disgusted him far more than anyone would ever understand.

He dived in the shower, wishing the cleansing water could just wash away his sins.  
**_'Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood from my hand? No, this my hand with rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red'_****.**  
His hair was plastered to his skull when he exited, a quick _Tempus_ revealing the time: 6.20 am. _Oh, shit._ Albus liked to organise the weekly staff meetings for as early as possible, Merlin alone knew why. This week's was a jovial affair at half six, giving Severus ten minutes to dry and clothe himself, then dash for the staff room. Given a choice between staff meetings and the Dark Lord's revels, Severus wondered whether he would actually prefer the latter. Of course, _most_ people would rather be the one inflicting pain over having it inflicted on them.

There were still raw cuts and burns all over his body, clambering over yellow and purple bruises in a grotesque picture of pain- Death Eaters were never exempt from the _fun_ of a revel. Severus hadn't the time to heal them, and found himself wincing as fibres from his shirt pressed into his _mementoes_ when he sat down in the staff room. Beside him, Minerva cast him a concerned look but Severus shook his head in a constricted gesture. _Not now. Preferably not ever._  
Aloud, he grunted, "Morning."  
Minerva nodded back.  
"Albus has yet to arrive."  
Severus scowled. _Now there's a surprise.  
_"If he's going to make us get up at the crack of dawn he should at least have the decency to arrive on time himself," he grumbled, pouring himself a coffee.  
Many of his colleagues were also nursing caffeinated beverages- pumpkin juice just didn't cut it at this time of the morning. Only Filius ever looked awake for these meetings, but then again, Filius was always as hyper as a two year old let loose in Honeydukes, Severus snorted. Minerva turned to him, expectantly.  
"Have you heard about Sturgis- oh, Merlin, _its _here."  
A whiff of cloying perfume hit the staff room .The Hag had entered the room, closely followed by Dumbledore. Severus pinched the bridge of his nose and settled back in his chair in preparation for what was undoubtedly going to be a tedious meeting.

**SSHGSSHGSSHG**

Harry was actually _smiling_ when Hermione and Ron joined him for breakfast in the Great Hall. Hermione scoured the enchanted ceiling for any flying pigs, found none and gaped at him incredulously.  
"What're you looking so pleased about?" Ron asked.  
Hermione wondered sourly if he was going to precede the question with a cutting remark as he had done with her. He didn't. Apparently she was a special case.  
"Erm... Quidditch," Harry replied cheerily, his eyes darting away.  
Hermione bit the inside of her cheek to contain her laughter. _Bullshit. More like Cho Chang._

She reached for her copy of the Prophet, reading the headlines critically, trying to seek out any hidden meanings in the Ministry propaganda.  
"Anything interesting?" Ron asked.  
"Nah," she sighed. "Just some guff about the bass player in the Weird Sisters getting married- wait a moment! Sirius is mentioned!"  
Harry snatched at the paper, ripping it violently down the middle.  
"What does it say?" he asked, urgency colouring his voice.  
"'_The Ministry has received a tip-off from a reliable source that Sirius Black, notorious mass-murderer... blah blah blah... is currently hiding in London'_!" Hermione read from her half of the paper in an anguished whisper. "Oh, God..."  
The trio exchanged nervous glances.  
"Lucius Malfoy, I'll bet anything," Harry hissed. "That bastard... he recognised Sirius on the platform-"  
"What? You didn't say anything!" Ron whispered, alarmed.  
"_Shh!_"  
"'_Ministry warns wizarding community that Black is very dangerous... killed thirteen people...broke out of Azkaban'_... the usual rubbish," Hermione concluded, throwing her side of the paper on the table. "Well, he just won't be able to leave the house anymore," she said, grimly. "Dumbledore did warn him."

Harry smoothed out his half of the paper glumly, suddenly gasping.  
"_Look!_"  
He pointed to a small passage at the bottom of a column, barely noticeable.  
**_'Trespass at Ministry: Sturgis Podmore, 38, of Laburnum Gardens, Clapham, has appeared in front of the Wizengamot charged with trespass and attempted robbery at the Ministry on 31_****_st_****_ August. Podmore...'  
_**"Sturgis Podmore?" Ron repeated slowly. "He's that bloke who looks like his head's been thatched, isn't he? He's in the Ord-"  
"Ron, shh!" Hermione gasped, glancing around anxiously for eavesdroppers.  
"Six months in Azkaban!" Harry exclaimed. "Just for trying to get through a door!"  
"Don't be silly, it wasn't just for that. What on earth was Sturgis doing at the Ministry of Magic at one o'clock in the morning?" Hermione breathed, excitedly. _I wish I could ask Snape_.

**SSHGSSHGSSHG**

Neither Severus nor Hermione was in an especially talkative mood that night in her detention. Severus was preoccupied with fearful thoughts of now explaining Potter _and_ Podmore's actions to his Master, who would no doubt be livid, and Hermione was pissed off at Ron, whom she had rowed with after his catastrophic first team Quidditch practice. Thus Saturday night's detention was spent in doom-laden silence, dragging on into Sunday's detention too. Both found they missed the chatter. Neither acknowledged it.

**The quote's from Macbeth. Please review!  
bookweasel**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
**Thanks for your lovely reviews, they make my day :D**

Hermione returned from her detention on Sunday just in time to see an owl swoop into the Gryffindor common room with a letter for Ron.  
"That's Percy's handwriting," Ron said as she approached, sinking back into his arm chair with confusion written all over his face.  
She pulled up a chair behind him and Harry, watching as the disgust etched upon Ron's features grew more pronounced as he read.

When he had done, he thrust the parchment towards Harry and Hermione, who converged upon it like vultures over a rotting carcass. Hermione skimmed the text quickly, picking out the interesting parts:  
**_'hopefully, you will be able to read this away from prying eyes and avoid awkward questions... I gather that you are still seeing a lot of Harry Potter... I must tell you, Ron, that nothing could put you in danger of losing your prefect badge more than continued fraternisation with that boy... I feel bound to tell you that Dumbledore may not be in charge at Hogwarts much longer... It may be that you are afraid to sever ties with Potter- I know that he can be unbalanced and, for all I know, violent... I urge you to speak to Dolores Umbridge, a truly delightful woman who I know will be only too happy to advise you... It pains me to criticize our parents, but I am afraid I can no longer live under their roof while they remain mixed up with the dangerous crowd around Dumbledore... I sincerely hope that, in time, they will realise how mistaken they were and I shall, of course, be ready to accept a full apology when that day comes...'  
_**_Oh, Ron._

Harry looked up at Ron.  
"Well, if you want to- er- what is it?" He checked Percy's letter "Oh, yeah- 'sever ties' with me, I swear I won't get violent."  
He was trying painfully hard to not sound upset, _bless him_, Hermione thought fondly. She herself was fuming.  
"Give it back," Ron said, his words stilted. "He is-" Ron said jerkily, tearing Percy's letter in half "-the world's-" he tore it into quarters "-biggest-" eighths "-git."  
He threw the pieces on the fire.  
"Come on, we've got to get this finished sometime before dawn," he told Harry, pulling a half- finished Astronomy essay back towards him.  
Hermione felt a rush of affection for her boys. She smiled at them both, holding her hands out.  
"Oh, give them here. I'll look through them and correct the mistakes."  
She couldn't obliterate Percy from existence, but she could help Ron with his homework. Hopefully it would go a little way in making up for his having a lousy git for a brother.

For a while, the only sounds were gentle breathing and the scratching of Hermione's quill, crossing out sentences and correcting mistakes in Ron and Harry's essays. Suddenly, though, Harry slid on his knees onto the hearthrug, gazing into the fire.  
"Er- Harry?" Ron said uncertainly, exchanging a mystified look with Hermione. "Why are you down there?"  
Harry glanced back up at his friends quite calmly.  
"Because I've just seen Sirius' head in the fire."  
Hermione nearly overturned her bottle of ink.  
"Sirius' head?" Hermione repeated. _No, surely he wouldn't be so foolish._ "You mean like when he wanted to talk to you during the Triwizard Tournament? But he wouldn't do that now, it would be too- _Sirius_!"

Apparently, he would, for now all three of them could see Sirius' head in the fire, flames licking at his tangled curls.  
"I was starting to think you'd go to bed before everyone else had disappeared," Sirius laughed, looking every inch the mischevious Marauder he had once been. "I've been checking every hour."  
_Oh, Merlin_.  
"You've been popping into the fire every hour?" Harry sound delightedly amused. Hermione, on the other hand, most definitely was not. _If anyone catches us..._  
"But what if you'd been seen?" she said anxiously.  
"Well, I think a girl- first year, by the look of her- might've got a glimpse of me earlier, but don't worry..."  
_This is just a game for Sirius, _Hermione realised. _ A chance to play Marauder again. And people's lives are at stake. If Sirius gets caught, the whole Order will go down with him_. In that moment, she hated him.

Of course, Sirius wanted to hear about Umbridge. They told him about their lessons (_'No magic, Sirius!'_). Sirius was unsurprised.  
"Our information from inside the Ministry is that Fudge doesn't want you trained in combat."  
"_Trained in combat_! What does he think we're doing here, forming some sort of wizard army?"  
"That's _exactly_ what he thinks you're doing, or, rather, that's what he's afraid Dumbledore's doing- forming his own private army, with which he will be able to take on the Ministry of Magic."  
_Oh. Oh, Snape, you wonderful __**brilliant**__ man! Thank you!_

Snape's hints had clicked in Hermione's mind and she now knew exactly what his subtle comments were pointing towards. They could train themselves in combat. _Brilliant brilliant man..._

**HGSSHGSSHGSS**

Severus was awoken on Monday morning by knocking loud and obnoxious enough to rival Granger's in her first detention.  
"Severus Snape, get your scrawny arse out of bed this instant and answer the bloody door!"  
Ah- Minerva, then. He's recognise that foul-mouthed Scottish brogue anywhere.  
"Coming, dearest!" he called sarcastically, throwing on some clothes and flinging his door open.  
Minerva stormed in, gesticulating wildly with a copy of the Prophet in one hand. Severus smiled sweetly.  
"Is that a picture of our esteemed Defence professor scarring my eyes on the front page?"  
Minerva thrust the paper at him, waiting until he had scanned the first page before beginning her rant. _Kindness indeed._  
"She's going to be inspecting us, Severus!"  
"That _is_ what it says here, Minerva, yes," Severus agreed contrarily.  
He wasn't best pleased himself but he'd be damned if he let that loathsome hag get a reaction out of him. Minerva glared at him.  
"Could you at least pretend to care?"  
Severus shrugged.  
"She wants to inspect us in front of a load of brats who hate her far more than they do us, does she? Well, on her own head be it, Minerva. The kids aren't going to grass us up if we get a few jibes in, are they?"  
Minerva smiled, her eyes narrowed.  
"What?"  
"You, Severus. You're being comforting. Perhaps you're mellowing in your old age?"  
"_Pigs might fly_," Severus scoffed, sneering.  
"I'll keep an eye on the position of our _esteemed Defence professor_'s feet in relation to the ground then, shall I?"  
They studiously avoided one another's eye.

**SSHGSSHGSSHG**

Hermione arrived for that night's detention feeling as though she was going to confession at church. She had assumed that Snape would already know about that day's defence lesson but quickly surmised that he didn't when he still hadn't verbally torn her to shreds after ten minutes.  
"Granger."

The girl jumped about ten foot in the air, to Severus' amusement.  
"Sir?"  
"You look guilty."  
The girl blushed and stared fixedly at the ground- _an admission of guilt if I've ever seen one_, Severus thought wryly, _Gryffindors_- but remained silent. Severus leant back in his chair.  
"Miss Granger, I could just-" _be a bastard and_, he thought " -ask Professor Umbridge. As it is, I want to hear it from the horse's mouth, so to speak."  
"Well, then, you should _definitely_ ask Umbridge," Granger muttered, half-heartedly coughing to disguise her words.  
Severus sucked in his cheeks to hold his laughter. _Damn Granger and her quick wit_.

Hermione caught the fleeting amusement lighting up his face, and felt a surge of pride. _I've made Snape laugh. Again_. She sighed, her emotions crashing down on her.  
"I've messed up, Professor."  
He cocked his head towards her, interestedly.  
"How so?"  
"Oh, I disagreed with something in our Defence textbook..." and it all came tumbling out "...and Professor Umbridge and I ended up... disagreeing and she took five points, which wasn't so bad, I guess, but then Harry had to stick his nose in and mention You-Know-Who _again_ and got himself _another_ week's detention and now Angelina's mad cause Harry's going to miss even _more_ Quidditch practices and Professor McGonagall overheard her having a go at Harry in the hall and now _she's_ mad and-"  
His hands were on her shoulders.  
"Breathe, Miss Granger."  
She did.

"Now I believe you were going to say 'and its all my fault'," Severus said gently. The girl nodded shakily, her breaths coming in staccato bursts. "It absolutely is." She glared. "If you had listened to me and kept your trap shut, Potter would never have spoken out of turn. I assume he did so in your defence?" She nodded. "Well, that he did so over a measly five points suggests he just needed a reason. He'd have exploded eventually anyway, Miss Granger, he's as volatile as one of Finnegan's concoctions. Its only circumstantial that you were involved, so don't beat yourself up over it."  
She sniffed, offering him a watery smile.  
"Thank you, sir."  
"Don't mention it," he responded gruffly, uncomfortable with the fact he was _comforting_ someone. "_Don't_. Merlin, with Potter's hero-complex and your habit of taking responsibility for others' misdemeanours, I think we have enough Gryffindor sentimentality, don't you?"

_He's trying to cheer me up, _Hermione realised. _That's... sweet._  
"Yes, sir," she said, smiling as she wiped the tears of frustration from her eyes.  
Snape grunted, reaching into his desk. He withdrew and handed her a small bottle of yellow liquid.  
"Murtlap essence. It will help with Potter's hand."  
"Thank you, sir."  
It was only later that she realised she hadn't even mentioned Harry's detention-inflicted cuts.

**Please review!  
bookweasel**


	8. Chapter 8

Hermione and Ron waited up for Harry that night. Hermione had poured the Murtlap essence into a bowl, and she pushed it towards Harry upon his arrival.  
"Here. Soak your hand in that, it's a solution of strained and pickled Murtlap tentacles. It should help."  
Harry placed his bleeding hand into the bowl gingerly, and gasped with relief, "Thanks!"  
Ron leant forward, his expression serious.  
"I still reckon you should complain about this."  
Harry withdrew. "No."  
"McGonagall would go nuts if she knew-"

"I imagine she already does," Hermione interrupted dully. "I think most of the teachers do, but they can't do anything." _At least, not __**publically**_.  
"_What?_" Ron blurted. "Why?"  
Hermione sighed, thinking of the dejected look in Snape's eyes when he had given her the Murtlap essence. It hadn't taken her long to figure it out, just a stroll past the Educational Decree decorated wall and she had realised.  
"Because, if they did, the toad would just bring out another bloody education decree, saying that anyone who contradicts her gets sacked immediately. They're powerless."  
Ron slumped, defeated.  
"Poison?" he suggested, hopefully.  
Hermione laughed hollowly.

"I wish," she leant towards her friends. "Look, I'm worried that Umbridge isn't teaching us the necessary skills to fight in this war."  
Ron shrugged, wrinkling his long freckled nose.  
"Well, what can we do about that?"  
Hermione took a deep breath.  
"Well, I had this idea-" _Liar, __**Snape **__had this idea_ "-that maybe... we should teach ourselves."  
Harry threw his head back in laughter, Ron smirking at his side.  
"Teach ourselves Defence?" he chortled. "'Mione, are you crazy? _How_?"

Hermione ignored her friends' ridicule, having been expecting it anyway. Harry was laughing now, but he wouldn't be in a moment, she thought grimly.  
"We get a teacher," she replied simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
"What, Lupin? 'Mione, you know he's too busy-"  
"Yes," she interrupted. "That's why I'm not suggesting him."  
"Oh." Harry said, nonplussed, his messy dark hair falling over confused eyes. "Who, then?"  
_Isn't it obvious_? Hermione huffed a fond but exasperated sigh.  
"Do I have to spell it out for you?" she asked, teasingly. "I mean _you_, Harry."

Silence fell. Ron blushed scarlet, avoiding Harry's gaze. The Chosen One was trying to catch his friend's eye, no doubt hoping to exchange an amused look. Harry wanted Ron to back him up on the _absurdity_ of Hermione's idea but Ron was making it painfully clear that at least a part of him agreed with her. Harry's green eyes flitted from friend to friend.  
"But I'm not a teacher, I can't-"  
"Education doesn't have to come from the allocated teacher at school, nor does it have to come directly within the school rules," Hermione interrupted, directly quoting Snape- not that Harry would know. "You're the best in our year at Defence, Harry."

Now Ron butted in, his face flushed with excitement.  
"Yeah, Harry. Come on, mate- you saved the Philosopher's stone in our first year-"  
"But-"  
"Second year, you destroyed Riddle's diary, defeated a bloody Basilisk and _saved my sister's life_," Ron continued eagerly, as though Harry hadn't spoken.  
"But-"  
"But nothing, Harry," Hermione chimed in. "In third year, you _saved Sirius' life_- and Buckbeak's!"  
"But-"  
Hermione and Ron exchanged smug glances. Harry was red-faced and angry but _surely_ he would come round soon.  
"Last year," Ron continued calmly. "You won the Triwizard Tournament, despite being the youngest competitor, _saved Gabrielle Delacour's life_, and fought off You-Know-Who _again_-"

"_SHUT UP!_" Harry exploded, spit flying from his mouth as he launched into a furious rant. "Stop talking like you know better than I do- 'cause you don't, okay? Most of that stuff was just luck, me bullshitting my way through a nasty situation, so don't sit there and act like I'm some big, brave hero- I'm not. It could just as easily have been me instead of Cedric that died last year! He wasn't stupid, he just got unlucky- that's the way it is!"  
_CRASH_! The bowl of Murtlap essence clattered onto the ground, liquid seeping through the cracks in the china to form a yellow pool on the carpet.

A stunned silence fell as the trio stared at the evidence of Harry's loss of temper. Ron spoke first, his face white.  
"Harry, we didn't mean any disrespect to Cedric, I swear," he said, aghast. "We _know _you got lucky but-"  
"But you're the only person alive today who has faced V-Voldemort in a duel and lived to tell the tale," Hermione cut in, stuttering over her first use of their enemy's name like a child uttering their first swear. She knew it was that, rather than her words, that caught Harry's attention. Now his face was angled towards her, listening. "We _need_ you," she said earnestly.  
Harry sank back into his chair, looking slightly shell-shocked. Ron and Hermione exchanged glances.  
"At least think about it, mate."  
"Please?"

There was a long pause then a curt nod.

**SSHGSSHGSSHG SSHGSSHGSSHG SSHGSSHGSSHG SSHGSSHGSSHG SSHGSSHGSSHG SSHGSSHGSSHG**

Severus was greeted by a beaming Hermione Granger for her ninth detention. If that wasn't disconcerting enough, the girl proceeded to skip to her seat. _Skip to her seat_. _I'm losing my touch_," Severus thought. _I don't even intimidate her anymore_.  
"Granger."  
The girl glanced up at him looming over her, her brown eyes sparkling and happy _and not at all afraid_.  
"Yes, sir?"  
She flashed him quick smile. _She's comfortable in my presence,_ Severus realised, and for some reason that unnerved him more than the knowledge that his _appointment_ with the Dark Lord was overdue and he could be summoned any time.  
"Is there a reason you're grinning like a loon?" he asked mildly.  
"I-"

Hermione hesitated, sure her professor wouldn't want her to thank him for his hints regarding their Defence class. She had a sneaking suspicion he was one of those people who shied away from gratitude.  
"No, sir." _Though..._ "Thank you for the Murtlap essence, sir."  
He glanced up sharply, his dark hair falling lankly either side of his face. Hermione smiled sheepishly. Finally, he replied, slowly, articulating each word carefully.  
"You are quite welcome, Miss Granger. Now get back to work."

The girl grinned and obeyed, leaving Severus struggling to remember the last time someone had actually thanked him for his actions. He shook his head, pulling a pile of essays towards him to mark. They worked in companiable silence for a while, except for the clink of phials and scratch of Severus' quill until- _Oh, fuck. Fate was a bitch sometimes_.

Hermione's gently meandering thoughts were rudely interrupted by her professor's sharp intake of breath. Startled, she turned to see him clutching his forearm and wincing in obvious pain. He caught her eye, his dark gaze urgent and... frightened?  
"Miss Granger," he choked. "Please pack up. Your detention is finished for tonight."  
_He really does not look good. _Snape's face was ashen and he stumbled as he strode to the door, lacking his characteristic grace.  
"S-sir!" Hermione stammered, leaping to her feet. She was terrified; Snape was obviously in pain and she had no idea what to do. She couldn't let him leave in this state, though-  
"Miss Granger!" Snape snapped, jolting out of her reach as she made to grab his arm in protest. "Leave. Now."

Severus had drawn himself up to his full height and played on all his Death Eater skills of intimidation. They didn't disappoint: Granger cast him a fearful glance and scampered off without another word. Severus ignored the way his heart tightened at the knowledge of the fright he had incited in the girl. He had to leave, now. He shook his head to clear it.

_Time to meet his master._

**SSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS HGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS**

_How dare he, _Hermione fumed, once her terror had worn off. _How dare he dismiss me like a child._ All because his arm was hurting? It seemed odd. Snape didn't just let his mask slip like tha- mask... oh, God. Hermione froze, chilled to the bone. Her skin prickled. He had clutched his _left_ arm. The one she _knew_ was branded with the Dark Mark- she had seen it last year, when he had pulled up his sleeve to show Fudge undeniable evidence of Voldemort's return. The scene was scorched onto her retina as sure as the Mark was burnt onto Snape's skin.  
"**_There,"_**** he had snarled, his silky voice harsh with vehemence. "There. The Dark Mark. It is not as clear as it was, an hour or so ago, when it burnt black, but you can still see it. Every Death Eater had the sign burnt into him by the Dark Lord. It was a means of distinguishing each other and his means of summoning us to him."**  
She could still remember staring at the black serpent and skull branded onto his arm, intoxicating to stare at despite the evil she knew it represented. And she remembered the utter disgust on Fudge's face, how repelled he was by the sight of the tattoo, as if Snape was... scum. And Snape- Snape was in agony, his pale skin bleached and his face gaunt. He had looked disgusted, tortured, _ashamed_...

**Please review!  
bookweasel**


	9. Chapter 9

**I should probably have written a disclaimer before now, I guess, so here goes: this is all JK Rowling's, I'm just playing in the Harry Potter world.**

Severus strode out of Hogwarts, apparating to his master as soon as his feet had left the school grounds. He had to be swift.

Despite his efforts, though, Severus was obviously the last to arrive: this meeting was outside in the middle of a moor and the circle surrounding Voldemort was far too large to be lacking more than one member. He strode towards his master, ignoring the sinking dread in his stomach. Voldemort rarely had meetings involving more than the inner circle: someone was going to be punished, and he had a horrible feeling that that someone was him.

He sank to his knees at Voldemort's feet, despising himself for this degrading act. He kissed the hem of his master's robes- emerald green, this time, _ever the clichéd Slytherin_- accepting the Dark Lord's superiority. Voldemort kicked him in the face.

Severus reeled back, having been saved the bother of swallowing his disgust by his _merciful_ master. He just hadn't anticipated a couple of teeth to go with it.  
"Severuss," the Dark Lord intoned. "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show at all."  
Nagini slithered round his neck, hissing at Severus with her forked tongue. _Squeeze,_ Severus willed, _put the bastard in the ground, as he deserves._ He cast blank eyes up to his master.  
"Why would I not show, my Lord? You know I am truly your servant, not Dumbledore's."  
_Bullshit. I am neither of yours' servants_.

Voldemort strode away, ignoring his spy as he petted his snake. He turned to Severus, red eyes glaring, when he was about five feet away (_and I would know_, Severus thought, _'cause Dark Lord he may be, but Voldemort needs to sort out his hygiene._ Voldemort, capable of magic beyond most wizards' imagination, appeared to be incapable of either working a shower or a basic cleansing charm. He _stank_.).  
"Why have you been withholding information, Severuss?" he hissed.  
Severus raised his eyebrows, "My Lord?"  
_His Lord_ backhanded him across the face, his long nails gouging ribbons out of his cheek.  
"Potter. Podmore."  
_Ah, shit. Well, he knew this was coming._

Severus lifted his chin, gazing into his master's eyes with carefully picked memories at the forefront of his mind. At the same time, most of his other memories were locked away, occluded so that even Voldemort couldn't access them, if he was indeed aware of their presence.  
"_Legimens_."  
The Dark Lord rifled through his memories, tearing through them as though they were paper. Despite being an excellent Legimens, he lacked the subtlety to apply Legimency in a situation where the subject was unaware of what he was doing. Severus could feel him scanning the provided memories, but also him digging deeper, seeking for any sign that his spy was lying to him. Unfortunately for Voldemort, he was unaware that he was only seeing was Severus was allowing him to see. If he had been aware, well, Severus would have been dead a long time ago.

"Why did you withhold this?" Voldemort demanded, pulling out of Severus' mind ruthlessly and without concern for Severus' mental wellbeing. _It bloody hurt_.  
Severus began, his voice silken. _Time to turn on that bullshit reflex, Sevvy-boy._ "My Lord, I deemed Potter's actions inconsequential to your safety- indeed, more of his classmates have begun to disbelieve him since his actions in class. They fear for his sanity."  
"_Crucio!"_

Severus had been asked once what the Cruciatus curse felt like. He declined to answer, but wouldn't have been able to do so anyway. To fully appreciate the pain of Cruciatus, you had to have experienced it. The best analogy was that it felt like travelling through Hell and back, with no concept of time, just the constant pain tearing through your body. He could fully understand how Frank and Alice Longbottom had lost their sanity after being tortured with the Cruciatus. _The poor bastards._

"_I _will decide what is inconsequential, Severuss," the Dark Lord hissed. _For fuck's sake I gave you good news, you miserable sod, cheer up!_ "And Podmore?"  
"Podmore was trying to protect the entrance to the Department of Mysteries," Severus forced the words out of his burning throat.  
_That _caught Voldemort's attention.  
"_And you didn't deem it necessary to inform me of this_?" he snarled, incredulous.  
_No, _Severus thought_, I didn't have any fucking intention of telling you but-_  
"Bella, have your fun."

**SSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS HGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS**

"Bellatrix Lestrange," Severus muttered as he limped back to his quarters. "I bloody hate you."  
He was at loss when it came to the whole Black family. Druella had been insane, Sirius was mental, Bellatrix was a flaming psycho, Andromeda was a bit odd (_Nymphadora? Really?_) but Narcissa was lovely, if you ignored the blood prejudice. They were one messed up family.

He shook his head, pushing his office door open wearily. He had to report to Albus in the morning, so it was best he got some zzz's before then... He paused. _Was that?_ He glanced back over at his desk. _Yes, it was._

Hermione Granger was perching in Severus' desk chair, her body slumped across his desk, apparently fast asleep. Well, not for much longer.  
"Granger!"  
The girl jolted, raising bleary eyes to Severus' furious face.  
"S-sir!" she stammered, white-faced. She clambered to her feet. "I w-was waiting for you."  
"Yes," Severus snapped. "I can see that. _Why_?"  
He had a sneaking suspicion that he knew _exactly_ why.

Straightening up, Hermione forced herself awake. She stared at her professor as though seeing him for the first time: the sallow skin, crooked teeth, hooked nose... She glanced at the silvery mask in his hand.  
"You're a Death Eater, sir," she stated, unable to recall exactly what she was planning to say.  
Snape seemed to shrink into himself. He remained calm though, staring at her unblinkingly.  
"Why are you not at the Headmaster's Office?"  
She shrugged, nonchalant in her half-asleep state. "I have some queries. I thought we could play a game. I ask questions. You answer."

_What the hell is wrong with the girl?_ She sounded playful, heaven forbid... _flirty_. Was she pissed or something? No, just overly tired, he realised, as she stifled a yawn. How had he not noticed the purple rings under her eyes before?  
"Are you a Death Eater?" she asked suddenly, as though pleading for him to tell her no, she had added two and two and got five.  
"You already know the answer to that question, Miss Granger," Severus forced out, waiting for the disgust to surface in her expression. It hadn't, not yet.  
"Does Professor Dumbledore know?"  
"Yes."  
"Are you... Snape, are you a spy?" She had dropped the formal 'Professor' now, which made it easier for Severus to answer- he could forget she was his pupil and think of her as Hermione Granger, potential member of the Order of the Phoenix. He nodded, unable to think of an excuse. He could leave that to the old man, he loved to meddle.  
"A double agent?"  
Another curt nod.  
"Why?"  
Severus jaw tautened. _Too far, Granger._ "That is none of your business."  
The girl's face flushed. "Yes, it is!"  
"No, it's not. Why are you quizzing me when anyone else would have just gone and grassed me up to the Headmaster?"  
"Why did you become a double agent?" Hermione retorted, flustered, her hair frizzing in her ire.  
"What if I'd Obliviated you?" Severus snarled, the reminder of Lily making him spiteful.  
"_Why did you become a double agent?_" Hermione pressed, fiercely. Severus had to admire her perseverance, albeit grudgingly.  
"What if I'd killed you?" he snapped, unyielding.

"_Then I'd be bloody dead, wouldn't I?_" Hermione shrieked, finally, glaring at her professor unrepentantly. "Can you give it a break? I wanted to give you a chance, okay? I thought that if I was in your situation, I'd want to be given the chance to explain myself -"  
Tears were rolling down her cheeks in anger and frustration. _She only wanted to help, for goodness sake_, Severus realised his mistake.  
"_Hermione_-"  
"-But you don;t understand that, do you? If it'd have been me in your place, you'd probably just have Avada'd me, right? 'Cause you're a Death Eater. You _bastard."_

_Something_ coloured her tone, Severus realised, but it wasn't disgust. Anger, yes, primarily, but also something worse: pity. Pity because she thought he didn't understand sentiment.

**Please review! Battleofthegood made a good point a while ago in a review saying who would I pair Ron with, now he's not got Hermione anymore? Well, I always hated that pairing anyway but I don't actually mind for this fanfic who I pair Ron with, so I thought I would leave it to my readers! Please let me know who you want Ron paired with and I'll go with the majority. I think Pansy/ Ron is really cute but whatever. I refuse to do Ron/Harry, Ron/Any other Weasley (gross) or anything too out there, not 'cause I'm prejudiced but 'cause Severus/Hermione's already pretty controversial and I don't want to draw attention from them. So PM or review and let me know!  
bookweasel**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello! **

**Two things- a guest reviewer said that they thought the Trio knew from the Goblet of Fire scenes in the graveyard and hospital wing that Snape was a Death Eater and a double agent. I've reread both scenes but I'm pretty sure that they thought he was an ex-Death Eater, that's why its a surprise when he turns out to be a Death Eater still and kills Dumbledore in HBP, even if the Trio did _suspect_ they didn't have proof. Definitely, they don't know he's a double agent until he gives Harry his memories in DH. Hope that clears things up!**

**Secondly, a quick question: I keep getting asked to put more spaces between the text but every time I try, and it doesn't matter if I double or even triple space between paragraphs, the Doc Manager changes it back to a single line. I'm really confused does anyone know how to fix this?**

Severus just about managed to drag himself into his bedroom before sinking to his knees on the cold stone floor and burying his head in his hands. The girl had gone a scarce minute before in floods of tears. Severus groaned, rocking back on his heels. He had never despised himself more for being a Death Eater, not even when he had discovered that the data had collected for his Master incriminated his sole childhood friend and teenage love.

For Lily had never cared for him half as much as he did her, he was her way of rebelling- against her family, especially Petunia, and her Gryffindor friends. _Granger_, on the other hand, had rebelled only against her head. No doubt her intelligent, obedient, authority-worshipping brain had pleaded with her to condemn him to Dumbledore's wrath. It would have been the safest, most sensible thing to do. Instead, Granger had followed her heart and given him a chance to explain himself.

Outwardly, Severus had recoiled from her overly Gryffindor nobility, but, he now admitted to himself, this was only to disguise the pool of emotion in his heart that threatened to reduce him to tears, for this was the first display of compassion Severus Snape had ever encountered that was directed at himself.

He cursed himself for not having the emotional understanding to react appropriately to Hermione Granger's actions, for he knew he had disappointed and hurt her for acting so abrasively. She had to understand, though, that Severus found it physically painful to express any emotion other than anger, he was so used to repressing it all.

Severus leant back against his wall, a headache forming at his temples. This was a case for Dumbledore. Let the old man decide what to do now.

**SSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS HGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS**

Hermione had no idea how she got back to her dorm that night, but she woke up as Parvati traipsed past her to the bathroom, her head banging and her eyes puffy and sore. Everything rushed back to her, and she was glad for the heavy curtains surrounding her bed, as they muffled her sharp gasp and hushed crying.

Snape was a double agent for the Order of the Phoenix: he could be killed if V-Voldemort found out. It wasn't a dream; Snape was walking a tightrope, his life held precariously in balance. Hermione felt a rush of pity and sympathy for him, no doubt forced to take part in terrible things to hold his cover. At the same time, though, she felt massively let down by her professor. Not because he was a Death Eater- she had already known he had been one in the past- but because he had refused to take the chance she had offered him. She had wanted him to explain himself to her, so she could understand, so he had at least _one _ally, because the rest of the world sure as hell hated him, even the Order, who knew what he was doing for them all. But her compassion had been thrown back in her face, and she couldn't help feeling betrayed.

It _hurt_ that he didn't want her help. It shouldn't have, but it did, and Hermione had no idea why.

**SSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS HGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS**

Severus dragged himself out of bed early on Tuesday morning- not that he had slept anyway. Thoughts of a familiar, bushy-haired face had haunted him though the night- well, morning really, since he had returned to Hogwarts around one am. Severus hadn't been able to rest with the knowledge that he had reduced a strong young woman to tears. It sickened him. This was not like those times when he had taken his ridicule and scathing comments in the classroom too far- Hermione Granger had been trying to help him, proving she actually _cared_. Severus knew he couldn't leave the situation as it was; his dubious conscience had been prickling ever since she had left him.

Yet, despite this, his first action in the morning was to visit the Headmaster. Severus reasoned that it would look a bit odd if he were to sink to his knees and beg Granger for forgiveness in the middle of the Gryffindor fifth year girls' dormitory. Deep down, though, he knew he was putting off the inevitable apology. It would no doubt be excruciating.

"Good morning, Severus, to what do I owe this pleasure?" the old man asked, as Severus pulled up a chair opposite him in his office. He offered the Slytherin head a sherbet lemon, more out of habit than anything, and as usual, Severus sneered and brushed the tin of sweets away.  
"Pleasure is the wrong word, Albus," he replied coldly. "I have been discovered."  
At once, the Headmaster straightened up, his genial grandfatherly expression fading into the more brutal exterior he rarely allowed through. _This_ was the true face of the leader of the Order of the Phoenix. He didn't look so kindly now.

"Severus! How could you be so foolish!" the old man snapped, his icy eyes blazing in his ire. "Who?"  
Severus narrowed his eyes.  
"_Don't_ take that tone with me," he snarled caustically, as if his Master was yet another petulant pupil. "Miss Granger. I was summoned in her detention last night."  
Dumbledore relaxed visibly, though he still frowned.  
"Why were you summoned so early?" he asked, though not from any kind of concern, Severus knew.  
"The Dark Lord wished to enquire as to why I had failed to inform him of Podmore's task in the Department of Mysteries and of Potter's antics in his Defence lessons," Severus replied shortly, his twisted humour making light of the previous night's... _activities_.  
"Don't act smart, Severus," Dumbledore snapped. "This is serious! What did you tell him?"  
"I told him, as you suggested in our last discussion, that Podmore was trying to protect the entrance to the Department-"  
"And how did he take it?" Dumbledore pressed, keen to see how his little decoy had worked. It had been his idea that the Order pretended to protect the Department of Mysteries, to distract Voldemort from his plan of finding a weapon. Severus could see the logic: the Department of Mysteries was an excellent place to hide something, and its complexity as a place to break into would hold Voldemort's attention long enough for the Order to gain an advantage. The thing Severus _didn't_ agree with was allowing a man to be captured and sent to Azkaban to get the Dark Lord's attention.

"Badly, of course," Severus responded scathingly. "He accepted my excuse that Potter's actions were inconsequential to his rise to power because so many believe the boy is deluded, but refraining from informing him of the Order protecting the Department of Mysteries was not accepted so lightly. Nonetheless, he gave my punishment over to Lestrange and was obviously distracted. Your little ploy worked."  
"Excellent!" Albus said excitedly, unbothered by Severus being punished- he was just a _Death Eater_ after all. Severus tried to ignore the hurt that such knowledge incited.  
"And what of Miss Granger?" he snapped, doubly harsh to conceal his pain.  
Dumbledore looked up distractedly.  
"She must learn Occlumency, Severus."  
"_What?_"  
Now the Headmaster's gaze sharpened and his expression grew irritated.  
"For goodness sake, Severus, she must either be oObliviated or learn Occlumency. Your role in this war must not be discovered."  
With that, the leader of the Order of the Phoenix turned away- an obvious dismissal. Severus sighed. In his opinion, Obliviation was a gross betrayal of trust: Occlumency it would have to be.

**SSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS HGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS**

Hermione had Potions last that day, and she was dreading it. However, Snape barely glanced at her as he handed out their marked and graded homework and began the lesson. It was as if last night hadn't even occurred. She glanced at her paper and was surprised to see just a short comment beside her grade- usually she received essay length criticism of her work, slating her crushed handwriting to fit in 'copious amounts of irrelevant information. _Do_ stop showing off, Miss Granger, your level of understanding is worth an Acceptable at best'. This time, though, she only saw two words: _'See me'_.

She told her boys to carry on without her and save her a place at dinner when the lesson ended, and made her way up to Snape's desk slowly, squashing her rising trepidation. Snape waited until every student had left the classroom before locking the door and turning to his pupil.  
"Miss Granger, I must apologise for my actions last night."

Granger swallowed hard as Severus forced his words out. Under the table, so she couldn't see, his hands were balled up in embarrassment, fingernails digging into his palms nervously. Hermione's face was flushed and her eyes kept darting away, looking anywhere but at him, and so she failed to see the obvious regret written over her teacher's face. Severus was keen to not worsen matters and to give Hermione the thanks she deserved  
"Look at me," Severus said gently. The girl did, albeit reluctantly. "I am very sorry, Hermione-" she flinched at his use of her forename "-you acted with compassion I did not deserve and I flung it back in your face. I have no excuse but I hope you'll forgive me nonetheless."  
The girl didn't respond, flushing furiously but remaining silent. Severus sighed, discouraged, but continued.  
"The Headmaster suggested that you should learn Occlumency. You must understand, Miss Granger, that under no circumstances can my role in this war be discovered, and if someone were to use Legimency on you... you _are_ aware what Occlumency and Legimency are?"  
"Of course," Granger's chin rose defiantly. "I've read about it." _Of course_, Severus smirked. "Who will be teaching me?"

Hermione already knew the answer but still felt her stomach constrict when Snape answered quietly, "I will."  
She forced herself to nod politely. "When shall we begin?"  
"Tonight, in your detention," Snape replied, shortly. "I suggest you prepare yourself."

**I've only got two responses as to who Ron should be paired with- Lavender or a relatively unknown Hufflepuff character. If you don't tell me who you want him paired with Ron's going to end up being a lonely bachelor for the rest of his fanfictious life! So for his sake, please review or PM me and let me know!  
bookweasel**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks for your reviews!**

Hermione spent dinner panicking and generally working herself up into an emotional wreck over this evening's detention. **_Prepare yourself_****.** _Thank you for those revelatory words of advice, Snape._

Even the boys noticed something was up but she brushed them off with her usual 'time of the month' excuse. Ron and Harry had flushed red, exchanged nauseated glances and looked away, playing straight into Hermione's hands. She clutched her stomach and muttered something about cramps, making her escape. Instead of heading to the Hospital Wing, as she had told her friends she would, Hermione instead made her way to the girls' toilets, proceeding to be violently sick. Thankfully, the toilets were empty, and Hermione managed to grip the sink tight and stare into the mirror without fear of irritated looks from girls trying to reapply their makeup. She looked a fright; her face white and pinched, her eyes too big. She couldn't deny it: she was terrified. Just the thought of Snape rifling through her memories...

**SSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS HGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS**

_Granger looks like shit_, Severus noted, as the girl stumbled into his office for her first Occlumency lesson, her pallor ivory white and sickly. Nonetheless, she glanced up at him expectantly, ever the diligent pupil.  
"Miss Granger, today I will attempt to enter your mind and you will attempt to prevent me from doing so, is that clear?"  
She looked terrified but nodded falteringly.  
"Do you have an idea how to stop me doing so?" Severus asked cautiously, knowing that unless he gave the girl some time to calm down she would be incapable of applying even a little Occlumency. He wondered why he even cared- with any other student he would have just started without a thought for their mental and emotional state. However, he also knew that Hermione Granger had ceased to be 'any other student' last night, if not before.

Hermione pondered, racking her brain for any useful information on Occlumency.  
"I suppose you could clear your mind," she said, musing aloud. "I read that that's the basis for Occluding basically."  
Snape nodded; unsurprised that she already knew this. It was _Granger_ after all.  
"Yes, that is what we will be doing today. You will clear your mind and I will apply Legimency, so you get practical knowledge of what it is like."  
Hermione nodded, and then raised her hand awkwardly. Snape sighed exasperatedly.  
"Granger, you don't have to raise your hand. You're the only other student in the room, and even if there was a whole class present, very few students actually bother to participate in lessons besides you. Speak."  
Hermione flushed. "Can I have a minute? To clear my mind?"

Severus nodded slowly, watching as the girl closed her dark eyes. Outwardly, her face was pale but significantly calmer than previously. He didn't doubt, however, that inside her mind were a frenzy of thoughts that needed silencing. They were similar in that respect.

After exactly a minute, Granger opened her eyes so they stared at him blankly and nodded curtly.  
"Ready?"  
"Ready."  
Severus raised his wand and she gripped hers so tight he feared she would snap it in half. He watched her eyes slide back into focus and knew that her fear had broken her concentration. This time, though, he didn't allow it to deter him from their lesson.  
"_Legimens!_"

Legimency felt extraordinary, almost intoxicating, distracting from her fear but not enough to make her mind empty again: Hermione could feel Snape shuffling through her memories, following threads of thought, spiralling into her secrets-  
"_NO_!"  
The connection broke. Snape stared at her coolly.  
"You'll have to do better than that, Miss Granger. _Legimens!_"  
He hadn't given her a chance to recover- her mind was teaming with secrets which he dived straight into... _and she was seven again, her ear pressed to the kitchen door, listening to her parents talking. "It's not normal, Jean! Normal kids can't levitate books!"... thirteen, doodling love hearts round the name '__**Hermione Lockhart'**__ in her diary... fourteen, giggling about Harry and Ron with Ginny in her room at the Burrow "__**He has such nice hands**__-" "Oo-er, thinking of uses for his nice hands?" "Ew, __**Ginny**__!" "Ah, __**gross**__, this is my brother!"... fifteen, snogging Viktor behind the broom shed, his hands slipping beneath her jumper-_  
"STOP IT!"

Severus had no idea if Granger was being hindered by her overwhelming desire to succeed or her fear, but he could feel her mental barriers flexing instinctively without actually blocking him- showing that she did, at least, have some natural mental defences.  
"Right, we'll have to try a different route," he said finally. "Miss Granger, I am going to try and access your memories of last night and you are going to prevent me from seeing them. Understood?"  
The girl nodded slowly. He hoped she would find it easier just looking to blank out specific memories, rather than her memory as a whole.  
"_Legimens!_"  
While he had no desire to revisit the previous night, Severus had to do so several times before Granger managed to distract him. She pushed other memories at him, a collage of her life thrust into the forefront of her mind. Severus withdrew.  
"Better," he conceded, and Granger's face lit up. "Not perfect though: that was not nearly subtle enough, Granger. _You need to clear your mind._"  
The girl's face fell. She chewed at her lip, almost absentmindedly, it appeared, but her eyes were alert, flickering anxiously between the floor and her teacher.  
"What's stopping you, Granger?"  
Severus had been musing aloud, and he started minutely at Granger's quiet response.  
"Because I'm scared to fail."

Hermione swallowed hard, not daring to look at her professor. She was surprised, therefore, when gentle fingers lifted her chin so her eyes met his.  
"Granger, you _can_ do it." Snape said softly. "You _can_."  
She stared into his dark eyes, shocked both at his encouragement and his kindness. He met her eyes fixedly, willing her on. _I can. I can do it._ Hermione raised her chin determinedly and nodded fiercely, picturing her goal with every fibre of her being. Snape met her eyes.  
"_Legimens!_"  
He was a whisker away from her darkest, most embarrassing memories when Hermione felt her mental walls flex menacingly, pushing Snape out of her mind. She fell to the floor and was shocked to see Snape both smiling and holding out a hand to help her up with. She rose to her feet unsteadily.  
"I- I did it! You didn't see anything!"

"You recall what I said about subtlety?" Severus asked teasingly, as his student continued to gawp at him. "Well done, Granger."  
"You can call me Hermione, you know." Granger blushed, shrugging lightly. "Well, you have seen most of my secrets, haven't you?"  
"Severus." Severus replied gruffly, noting _Hermione_ clutching her head. "Headache relief potion?"  
"Please!"  
He left his office to get the vial from his stores, reflecting on how much mental strength Hermione had, once given encouragement. He wondered how such a brilliant witch could have such self-doubt.

Snape handed her the potion and Hermione gulped it down, pulling a face. At least it worked better than muggle paracetamol, though. Snape gestured to sit, and she slumped into one of his office chairs willingly, exhausted. To her surprise, though, Snape sat on the chair beside her, instead of exerting his authority and taking his seat opposite her. It was far less intimidating, like they were equals, although Hermione felt uncomfortable by his closeness to her. She knew it was illogical: the man had just been into her mind, for goodness sake! but, at the same time, Snape was so _cold_, so _reserved_... it was weird having him in close proximity to her when he wasn't looming over her cauldron to criticize her work in class.

"Congratulations, Miss Granger," Severus began, his skin prickling with the knowledge of how _right_ it felt, sat beside Granger rather than across a desk that was both a physical and metaphysical barrier between them. This felt _companionable_. "You managed to throw me out of your mind. A strong performance considering this was your first lesson."  
The girl glanced up at him shyly through her eyelashes. "Thanks, sir."  
It was bizarre how the Death Eater garbed elephant in the room seemed to have vanished now he had seen most of her darkest secrets. Severus still felt slightly nauseous from the image of Krum pawing the girl before him. There were some things teachers didn't need to know about their students...

He flicked his thoughts and eyes back to Granger, who was twisting her hands together agitatedly. Without thinking, he reached his own hand out to touch hers, stilling their movement. They both froze. Severus retracted his hand, his blush evident on his pale skin.  
"My apologies," he mumbled, before quickly changing the subject. "You need to work on clearing your mind. From what you demonstrated today, you do have the skill for Occlumency, you just need to contain it. Rather than throwing me out of your mind, you need to control what you're doing so that I am instead thrown from such memories: they are locked from sight. We will attempt this next lesson, in your detention tomorrow."  
The girl nodded eagerly, having been hanging onto his every word. Severus half expected to find her with a roll of parchment and a quill, noting every syllable he had spoken.  
"Yes, sir." She said keenly. "Anything else?"

Usually, such bluntness would not have been tolerated but Severus ignored this and answered anyway.  
"Yes- I wish you to practise clearing your mind. Merlin knows you have enough opportunities: just wait until Potter and Weasley start to talk about Quidditch."  
Granger's eyes glittered in amusement, flashing him a cheeky grin.  
"Yes, sir," she chortled. "Goodnight."

**Please review! And remember to let me know who you want Ron paired with!  
bookweasel**


	12. Chapter 12

**Two things:**

**1. ****Sorry for the wait between updates, I've been away. :)  
2. I realise that I'm pretty rubbish with reviews and that, though I intend to, I don't always reply and say thanks. There are some people who have been following this story from the start, or near enough, and others that have consistently reviewed- it means a lot, seriously. I know some, probably most, of you have never even got a reply, but here's a big thank you to AmberEsmeHermione, dana-san, FreeSpiritSeeker, Amarenima Redwood and everyone else who's reviewed. Big thanks to notwritten for your lovely "keep smiling" messages! :D**

**Okay, maybe three things XD... **

**3. I'm going to try and improve with my responses to reviews. If you write a guest review and have a question or whatever, I'll reply at the start of the next chapter. Okay? Cool, on with the story...**

Hermione arrived back in the Gryffindor Common Room yawning and barely able to keep her eyes open. Though her headache was gone, she felt strangely lethargic, and made the logical conclusion that _Severus_ had kept her later than usual. Thus, she was relatively surprised when Ron bounded up to her the instant she entered the Common Room, exclaiming, "Blimey, has the greasy git got a temperature or something? He's let you out early."  
"No, don't be mean, Ron," she snapped. "He's... fine. Why, what time is it?"  
Ron scrunched up his nose. "'Bout nine, I think. Harry's not even back from his detention with the hag yet."  
"Really?" Hermione dropped her schoolbag to the floor. "How bizarre, it feels a lot later than nine."  
"Yeah, well," Ron laughed. "Time's supposed to fly when you're having fun, so it's not a surprise your detention felt really long- you _were_ spending it with the dungeon bat after all."  
"Shut up," she swatted him half-heartedly. "He's honestly not that bad."

She and Ron flopped into adjacent chairs before the fire, the flames casting a golden glow on their faces.  
"Seriously?" Ron said, his eyes sparkling with laughter. He looked so alive, his face a wash of orangey yellow bisected by a beautiful smile. Hermione felt her heart melt, just slightly.  
"Seriously," she answered, smiling in response. "He's actually been really nice, and he hates Umbridge as much as we do, I think."  
"Well, that's not a surprise," Ron sniggered. "The woman is a ball of pink, sugary sweetness- the exact opposite of the vampire of the dungeons... though, they do say opposites attract, don't they?"  
"Ron!" Hermione spluttered, grabbing hold of his arm as she laughed. He flushed a little at her touch.  
"So, go on," he said, easing his arm out of her grip awkwardly, and avoiding her eye as his cheeks reddened. "Why's old Snape-y boy suddenly in your good books?"  
"I-" Hermione hesitated, unsure of _just how much_ to tell him. She smiled. "He made me laugh."  
"He made you laugh?" Ron repeated doubtfully. "Who is this bloke, and what has he done to Snape?"  
"Professor Snape, Ron," Hermione insisted, privately thinking _but __**I **__call him Severus_. "No, seriously. We joked together about Umbridge. That's how I know he hates her."  
"Snape made a joke and you didn't run screaming?" Ron asked half-incredulously, half-teasingly. "Wait, did you say _we_ joked _together_. Flamin' 'ell, 'Mione, you're not saying that you made _him_ laugh?"

Hermione collapsed in a fit of laughter and Ron's shoulders sagged in relief, at least until-  
"Yep, and you wouldn't believe it but he actually has the loveliest laugh I ever heard, all deep and gruff..."  
"Bleh. 'Mione, if you keep this up I'm gonna puke."  
Hermione flashed him an easy grin. "It must be a girl thing."  
"Liking someone's laugh? No. Liking _Snape_'s laugh? No- I think that's just you, not girl kind," Ron said seriously. "So... do I have a nice laugh?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.  
Hermione swallowed her giggles. They both knew that a lot was riding on her answer. "I-"

"Hi, guys."  
Harry plonked himself down beside them. His green eyes flickered uneasily between them.  
"Have I interrupted something?"  
"What? No..." Hermione laughed, embarrassedly, her voice shooting up to an unnaturally high pitch. Harry threw her a dubious look and turned to Ron. His other best friend smirked, the red fading from his cheeks.  
"Yeah. Hermione was just telling me that she thinks Snape's laugh is sexy." He winked mock-seductively.  
Hermione groaned. "No I didn't! I said he had a _nice_ laugh!"  
Harry snorted. "I wasn't aware he was even capable of laughing. Doesn't smiling crack his face? Anyway- when have you ever heard Snape laugh? Are you two having an affair?" he adopted an innocently curious tone.  
"Argh!" Hermione wailed, throwing a nearby cushion at her friends to hide her burning face. "Forget I ever said anything, you gits!"  
Her two friends roared with laughter.

**SSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS HGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS**

Severus relaxed back in his rooms with a blazing fire and a glass of expensive wine- a present from Lucius if he remembered correctly. It was a bit of a waste really, this was one of the few times he had ever drunk for pleasure- usually it was to get blind-drunk so he could forget who he was and what he had done. _Ah, happy days_. But then, people as rich as Lucius often squandered their money away, simply because they had enough that it didn't matter. Though... Lucius _had_ stopped sending whiskey a few years back, acknowledging that that really _was_ a waste. Even Lucius had his limits.

Apparently, so did Granger- wait, _Hermione_. He was at loss as to how such a brilliantly talented witch had such a lack of confidence. Though not in some cases, since she had actually had the gall to ask her feared, _Death Eater_ Potions professor to call her by her forename. He couldn't understand _why_, though. Why would she want to be on first name basis with him? Even she and Minerva, who were like mother and daughter, and certainly very fond of each other, were not at that stage. Her excuse that he had seen all her secrets, so might as well call her Hermione, made sense, he supposed.

No, what really confused him was why he had _allowed_ her to call him Severus and why he had begun thinking and addressing her as Hermione. Perhaps Minerva was right, he mused. Perhaps he was mellowing in his old age.

What a terrifying thought.

**SSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS HGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSS**

Thursday's detention, or, rather, Occlumency lesson, did not go as well as Wednesday's. Despite Hermione's insistence that she had spent the rest of the day practicing clearing her mind, Severus quickly grew frustrated with her lack of progress.

After the fifth time of being forcibly ejected from his student's mind, Severus slumped back against his office wall, cradling his pounding head tentatively.  
"Miss Granger," he growled. "For the last time, I did not ask you to push me out of your mind!"  
"Hermione," she corrected with a scowl. Perhaps unintentionally she was pouting, her lower lip jutting out. It made her look a lot younger. "I'm _trying_, Severus."  
"Well, not hard enough!" he retorted with a glare. "Listen, Gr-Hermione, if the Dark Lord used Legilimency on you and you forced him out of his mind, he wouldn't give up. He would just force his way back into your mind again. You would exert a lot of energy keeping him out and it wouldn't even work."  
His student watched him, nodding along to what he was saying.  
"The Dark Lord knows no boundaries, Hermione. Mental or otherwise."

"Can I ask you a question, Severus?" Hermione asked abruptly. He could practically see the cogs turning in her head.  
Severus smirked. "As if I could stop you. Go on, Granger."  
"_Hermione_. Why do you call Voldemort 'the Dark Lord'?" Hermione asked interestedly, her dark eyes bright and curious.  
Severus hissed reflexively, gripping his arm tightly. He cast his black eyes to Hermione's pale, worry- creased face.  
"Is _he_ calling you?" she asked nervously, a quaver to her voice.  
Severus shook his head in a constricted movement. He hesitated before replying, "It... hurts if we say his name or someone else says it in our presence."  
"Oh." Hermione's mouth formed a little pink 'o' before she said, quite sincerely and very gently, "I'm so sorry, Severus."  
"It's fine," Severus replied awkwardly, unsure what to say. "Shall we continue?!"  
Hermione stood up straighter, defiant chin tilting up. "Of course."  
"_Legimens!_"

**Don't worry, the little bit of Ronmione fluff isn't because I've suddenly switched pairings- they've had a crush on each other for years so it's not going to just vanish. Very gradually, they are going to realise they are better as friends and then... SEVMIONE! (But that's going to be gradual as well, they're not just going to BAM! Fall in love with each other) Sooo, prepare yourself for a looong fic. I'm guessing approx. 50 chapters? We'll see how it goes :)**

**Please review!  
bookweasel**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello all, just to say that I'm going away on Saturday for two weeks. I'm not sure when I'll be able to upload next 'cause my dad likes to put the laptop in the attic while we're away for security but doesn't bother to bring it down for a while afterwards . so who knows when the next chapter will be up? Rest assured that in the meantime I'll be busy scribbling away so a chapter will go up ASAP!**

The next few detentions continued in the same way: Severus attempting Legilimency on Hermione, Hermione responding... not so subtly, and Severus getting irritated- in a constant loop. At the end of Monday's session, Severus gestured for Hermione to sit in one of his office chairs. She was gratified to see him charm it so it was less uncomfortable, just for her.  
"Thanks," she said with a smile.  
Severus awkwardly half-grimaced, half-smiled in response. He leant forward in his chair, once again sat beside her rather than across from her in a more typical pose for a student/ teacher discussion.  
"This isn't working, Hermione," he began, his forehead creasing. "Even for a Gryffindor, you are spectacularly unsubtle." Hermione pulled a face sheepishly in acknowledgement of the truth of the statement. "Why are you finding it so difficult to just throw me from your memories instead of your mind? Surely it should be easier?"  
"I don't know," Hermione paused thoughtfully, lightly nibbling her lip. "It's almost reflexive."  
Severus sighed. "But if you can't do this, Hermione, we won't be able to carry on to the next step."  
Hermione's round brown eyes turned up pitifully to his face. "Which is?"  
"Stopping people even getting far enough to need throwing out of your memories," Severus replied. "Basically, concealing memories from view."

Hermione threw her head in her hands exasperatedly, her fingers raking through her hair angrily.  
"_Why can't I do this?_"  
Severus leant forward and tapped her arms gently until she looked at him. "I have no idea, Hermione. I was reluctant to teach you because I am a natural Occlumens. I don't know how to teach it as a skill."  
"Why are you then?" Hermione snapped. "Why are you bothering to teach me? Why not just Obliviate me so I forget everything to do with... you know."  
He did know.

"Because Obliviation leaves traces, and the memories are never completely gone. That's why muggles have de ja vu. Most likely they've seen something magical and have had the memory Obliviated. But the memory is always there, trying to get back. Also," Severus paused uncomfortably, "I wouldn't want to Obliviate you, Hermione. It's a gross violation of the mind and a betrayal of trust."  
Hermione had reached across and squeezed Severus' hand before she had even thought about it. She blushed. "Sorry. I- thank you, Severus. I appreciate it. I'm just struggling with Occlumency at the moment. You say that yours is natural, rather than learnt?"  
Severus nodded slowly, a faint flush on his cheeks from Hermione's brief touch. She was now so far out of the boundaries of 'just a student' it was ridiculous.

He thought before answering her question, knowing that Hermione would appreciate a well thought-out answer more than a _typical _student, who would want a condensed version. He and others in his profession of teaching _lived_ for keen, intelligent students like Hermione.  
"Yes. I think being an Occlumens is rather like being a Seer." Hermione's lips twitched and Severus just _knew _she was thinking of Sybill Trelawney. He forced himself to refrain from making a disparaging comment about_ dearest _Sybill's 'inner eye', knowing well that if he did so he would see Hermione laugh again and he didn't think he could deal with a further blurring of the line between student and teacher. "I think it's passed down rather sporadically through families. I don't really know my family history so I would be unable to check, though. It is possible for people that aren't natural Occlumens to _become_ Occlumens but I really have no idea how. I'm just trying to teach you in stages."

Hermione nodded interestedly, just itching to get hold of a quill and a piece of parchment so she could jot this down. "So, were you always able to keep people out of your mind?" she asked, curiously.  
"No," Severus admitted. "I had very little need to until my late teens. But it took very little effort to get to a stage where I could do so- especially when I had the cruciatus as an incentive."  
"Cruciatus?" Hermione repeated in horror. "You mean-"  
"Yes, Miss Granger. The Dark Lord punishes his Death Eaters. Being a follower of his does not just involve the revels you read about in that rag you call a newspaper. _Especially_ when you are a spy. I only needed a few bouts of punishment to reach the conclusion that I needed to bring my Occlumency up to scratch before lying to_ him_ again."

There were other reasons too, of course. Namely because of the _incident_ with the Marauders in his fifth year. Only Madam Pomfrey, whom had treated Severus for shock afterwards, had seen just how terrified he was. Severus had had a crushing fear of werewolves ever since seeing Lupin transformed, leading to nightmares for years afterwards. He had learnt Occlumency to prevent these and also protect himself against Dumbledore, who, in his role as Headmaster, had deigned Sirius Black's attempt on another student's life inconsequential, mainly, Severus suspected, because the other student was a Slytherin. To Severus' ongoing disgust, the famous second-chance awarding Headmaster of Hogwarts had turned to his sixteen year old self and ordered that he swore that he would not breathe a word of what had happened that night, or else he would Obliviate the incident from Severus' mind. Needless to say, Severus hadn't been taking any chances.

"Sir?" Granger had evidently been talking to his nonresponsive self for a while now, judging by her whitened, anxious face. Severus shook off his morose musings and shrugged.  
"I'm sorry, Miss Granger, you were saying?"  
"Will you tell me why you became a spy yet?" The question had obviously begun a half-hearted light one but his lack of response had worn this down to sincerity.  
"No." Severus answered shortly. "That is private."  
It wouldn't do for Hermione to find out about Lily. She would just feed the news back to Potter and by morning the whole school would know that the dreaded Potions professor was just as human as them. Imagine the _hilarity_ most students would get out of the knowledge that he had been in love with Potter's mother and had switched sides in the war for her despite the fact that she had despised him.

Granger was talking again.  
"Can I... use Legilimency on you, please? Just to see how you guard your mind? Please?"  
"What? Er... yes," Severus replied distractedly, his mind still preoccupied with thoughts of Lily. _Wait. __**What**__ did I just agree to?_  
It was too late. Hermione already had her wand in her hand, quavering slightly from the realisation that she was about to look into her professor's mind.  
"_Legimens_," she said calmly, just as Severus had done to her. And, as easily as that, she was in Snape's mind.

_Granger is in my head, _Severus realised disjointedly. He could feel her emotions seeping through into his mind, excitement and interest tangled with confusion. She was rifling through the images of Lily at the forefront of his mind, utter shock and horror diffusing through now. Just as she reached his fifth year memories, his memories of the time when everything had started to go wrong, Severus instinctively reacted: forcing her out of his head with a Hermione-esque violent shove.

Hermione lost her balance, stumbling and glaring up at Severus with blazing eyes.  
"How dare you!" she shouted, looking incredibly like Lily in her loss of temper. "You agreed!"  
"I was... distracted," Severus replied shortly, unable to quite muster the necessary spite to shut her up and at the same time aware that even if he could he wouldn't want to.  
"Hmph," Hermione said frustratedly, then, quieter but with the distinct impression of someone who had questions to be answered (_it's Granger, _Severus thought scornfully, _of course she has questions to be answered_): "That was Harry's mother. I've seen photos of her. Hagrid made Harry a photo album of his parents. That was definitely Lily Potter."

Her use of Lily's married name stung. Severus mostly tried to forget that Lily had actually gone and _married_ the swine. Admittedly this was difficult when the Lily and Potter's son attended the very school he taught at- indeed, was in his class unfortunately.  
"Yes," Severus replied curtly. "Those memories were of Lily Evans."  
Hermione gaped at him. "How the hell did you, big bad Death Eater, know Harry's mother?"  
Severus glared, affronted and irritated with himself for allowing her to find this out. What sort of spy allows someone into their mind to see their deepest secrets?  
"I wasn't _always_ a Death Eater, Granger," he snapped. "Children aren't born evil."

Eyes flashing, Hermione threw him an irritated glare. "I _know_ that," she said, irately, hastening to explain. "It just seemed improbable- after all, Lily was a muggleborn and a Gryffindor, and you were a Slytherin and _obviously_ believed in pureblood superiority at some point because you joined Voldemort!"

Well, that hurt. And not just because of her use of _his_ name- Severus wasn't actually scum and he had thought that he had made progress enough with Hermione for her to recognise that he wasn't too. He exhaled a juddering breath.  
"I didn't join the Death Eaters because I believe in pureblood supremacy," he replied quietly. "I certainly don't want all muggleborns dead."  
"Then why?" Hermione pushed fiercely. "Why would you join the Death Eaters otherwise?"  
"_For friends_!" Severus spat, and fell silent, regretting his loss in temper.  
"What?" Hermione looked flabbergastered, throwing him incredulous looks, her mouth agape. Severus didn't care what she thought of it, suddenly realising that he wanted at least _her_ to know he wasn't vermin.

"You heard me," he said, calmer. "I would be a hypocrite if I said I hated muggleborns because I'm a half-blood. I have non-magical blood too. That's how I knew Lily- she lived near me in a muggle area. We were friends until our fifth year _despite_-" he threw her a dirty look "-the fact that she was muggleborn. When we fell out I had no friends and was persuaded to join the Death Eaters under the premise of joining a brotherhood. Of course," he said, trying to make the conversation lighter, "my biggest issue with Lily was her being a Gryffindor."

Hermione stuck her tongue out, though her eyes reflected the whirring of her brain as she tried to connect the evil professor she thought she knew with the honest story she had just been told.  
"I'm sorry for implying you, you know, hate muggleborns," she apologised finally. "I won't tell Harry, just in case you were worried I would."  
Severus' shoulders sagged in relief. "And Lily?" he forced himself to ask.  
"Not a word," she said. "I promise."

**So... thoughts?  
It would be great to come back from my hols to find my inbox clogged up with reviews *hint hint* :D  
bookweasel**


End file.
